Variation in pollen limitation and floral parasitism across a mating system transition in a Pacific coastal dune plant: evolutionary causes or ecological consequences?

Background and Aims Evolutionary transitions from outcrossing to self-fertilization are thought to occur because selfing provides reproductive assurance when pollinators or mates are scarce, but they could also occur via selection to reduce floral vulnerability to herbivores. This study investigated geographic covariation between floral morphology, fruit set, pollen limitation and florivory across the geographic range of Camissoniopsis cheiranthifolia, a Pacific coastal dune endemic that varies strikingly in flower size and mating system.Methods Fruit set was quantified in 75 populations, and in 41 of these floral herbivory by larvae of a specialized moth (Mompha sp.) that consumes anthers in developing buds was also quantified. Experimental pollen supplementation was performed to quantify pollen limitation in three large-flowered, outcrossing and two small-flowered, selfing populations. These parameters were also compared between large- and small-flowered phenotypes within three mixed populations.Key Results Fruit set was much lower in large-flowered populations, and also much lower among large- than small-flowered plants within populations. Pollen supplementation increased per flower seed production in large-flowered but not small-flowered populations, but fruit set was not pollen limited. Hence inadequate pollination cannot account for the low fruit set of large-flowered plants. Floral herbivory was much more frequent in large-flowered populations and correlated negatively with fruit set. However, florivores did not preferentially attack large-flowered plants in three large-flowered populations or in two of three mixed populations.Conclusions Selfing alleviated pollen limitation of seeds per fruit, but florivory better explains the marked variation in fruit set. Although florivory was more frequent in large-flowered populations, large-flowered individuals were not generally more vulnerable within populations. Rather than a causative selective factor, reduced florivory in small-flowered, selfing populations is probably an ecological consequence of mating system differentiation, with potentially significant effects on population demography and biotic interactions.     

(Z)-11-Hexadecenyl compounds as attractants for male microlepidoptera of the subfamilies Argyresthiinae, Glyphipteryginae, and Crambinae

Traps baited with Z11-16:Ac, Z11-16:Ald, Z11-16:OH, and Z13-18:Ac, singly or in mixtures, were tested for their attractivity for males of microlepidoptera in an apple orchard, a mixed deciduous forest, and a coniferous forest. In particular, Z11-16:Ac and Z11-16: Ald attracted some Crambinae, one Glyphipteryx species, and several species of Argyresthia, including the injurous species A. fundella (on fir), A. conjugella (on apple), A. pruniella (on cherry), and A. thuiella (on Thuja).

---

Attraction sexuelle de microlépidoptères des sous-familles Argyresthiinae, Glyphipteryginae et Crambinae par des hexadécènes 11Z

Résumé L'attraction de microlépidoptères par des hexadécènes 11Z a été examinée en 1982 et 1983 à l'aide de pièges sexuels placés dans différents biotopes de Hollande. Ces pièges contenaient différents mélanges synthétiques d'acétoxy-1-hexadécènes 11Z (Z11-16:Ac), d'hexadécènal 11Z (Z11-16:Ald), d'hexadécénol 11Z (Z11-16:OH) et d'acétoxyl-1-octadécène 13Z (Z13-18:Ac). Les pièges étaient placés dans un verger de pommiers, dans un bois de feuillus aux essences diverses et dans un bois de résineux. Des mâles de 10 espèces de lépidoptères ont été capturés avec ces mélanges, parmi lesquels ceux de 3 espèces de Pyralidae, d'une espèce du genre Glyphipteryx et de 6 espèces du genre Argyresthia. Parmi les Argyresthia, certaines espèces sont considérées comme des déprédateurs: A. fundella sur sapin (Abies), A. conjugella sur pommier (Malus), A. pruniella sur cerisier (Prunus) et A. thuiella sur Thuja. Enfin, un tableau fournit 28 produits contenant des hexadécènes Z11 actuellement connus comme attractifs sexuels de microlépidoptères; la majorité des espèces appartient aux sous-familles Crambinae, Argyresthiinae, Glyphipteryginae et Acrolepiinae.