Effects of competition on lifetime estimates of inbreeding depression in the outcrossing plant Crepis sancta (Asteraceae)

Inbreeding depression was studied in two populations of a Mediterranean allogamous colonizing species Crepis sancta. In order to test the hypothesis that the magnitude of inbreeding depression can be modified by successional processes, the growth and survival of individuals resulting from two generations of inbred crosses including selfing were analysed with interspecific competition (in natural vegetation) and without interspecific competition (by removing natural vegetation). Inbreeding depression was weak for seed production. Germination was little affected by inbreeding but mortality and the number of capitula showed inbreeding depression, especially in the presence of competition. This suggests that inbreeding depression is very sensitive to variations in environmental conditions such as interspecific competition. As a consequence, inbreeding depression cannot be considered as constant in natural conditions.     

Mating system variation along a successional gradient in the allogamous and colonizing plant Crepis sancta (Asteraceae)

We analysed mating system in an annual and colonizing plant, Crepis sancta, that occupies different successional stages in the French Mediterranean region. Based on a previous experiment, we hypothesized that low inbreeding depression measured in young successional stages should select for selfing whereas higher inbreeding depression in old stages should select for outcrossing. Nine populations of C. sancta (Asteraceae) from contrasting successional stages were used to analyse (1) Seed set after autonomous and enforced selfing in controlled conditions and (2) outcrossing rates in natural conditions using allozymes (progeny array analysis). We found that C. sancta possesses a pseudo‐self‐incompatibility system and that mating system varies among populations. Allozymes revealed that the population multilocus outcrossing rates vary from 0.77 to 0.99. The lowest outcrossing rates occur in the youngest successional stages and complete outcrossing is found in old stages. The data partially agree with the predictions we made and the results are more generally discussed in the light of factors changing during succession. We did not find any evidence of reproductive assurance in the nine populations, contrary to what is often assumed as a major factor governing mating system evolution in colonizing species. We propose that mating system variation can be interpreted as the result of the balance between the cost of outcrossing and inbreeding depression in a metapopulation context.     

Differential outcrossing rates in dispersing and non-dispersing achenes in the heterocarpic plant Crepis sancta (Asteraceae)

The association between mating systems and dispersal in plants has been studied mostly in cleistogamous species where, generally, seeds produced by cleistogamous (selfed) flowers are less dispersed than seeds produced by chasmogamous (potentially outcrossed) flowers. In heterocarpic Asteraceae, non-dispersing fruits (achenes) are produced at the periphery of the capitulum (outer florets) whereas dispersing achenes are produced by inner florets in the same capitulum. Since all the florets are protandrous, the outer floret developing first are in female phasis when anthesis of inner florets takes place. Thus, outer florets can be potentially selfed by the inner florets of the same capitulum whereas the latter must be pollinated by flowers of other capitula. Therefore outer florets should be more inbred than inner florets. To test this hypothesis, we measured the natural outcrossing rate in outer and inner florets using allozymes in three populations of the heterocarpic Crepis sancta. The results showed that the outcrossing rate was highest for non-dispersed achenes. Moreover, among the outcrossed achenes within a capitulum it was observed that the number of paternal parents of non-dispersing achenes was higher than for dispersing achenes. The pattern observed was therefore the opposite to the pattern of cleistogamous plants and contradicts the putative pollination mechanism we proposed for Asteraceae. The results agree with the predictions of sib competition theory which considers that outcrossing may minimize competitive interactions among relatives (sibs) falling near the mother plant. Higher outcrossing rate in outer florets could also occur because pollinators are more attracted to these florets.     

Palatability of Thlaspi caerulescens for snails: influence of zinc and glucosinolates

* The hypothesis that zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulation defends Thlaspi caerulescens against herbivores is tested with the snail Helix aspersa. We investigated the effects of leaf zinc, cadmium, glucosinolate, nitrogen and dry matter concentrations on the feeding preferences of snails. * Four T. caerulescens populations from southern France (two from metalliferous and two from normal soils) were grown on low- and high-Zn soils to obtain contrasting leaf Zn concentrations. Plants were also collected in the field, and binary feeding choices involving low- and high-Zn leaves were conducted. * Foliar Zn, Cd, N and dry matter concentrations did not affect the feeding choices of snails, whereas glucosinolate had a significant negative effect on herbivore preferences. Compared with metallicolous plants, nonmetallicolous ones appeared to be better protected against snails, whatever their Zn concentration. * These results do not support the defence hypothesis, as glucosinolates appear to decrease the degree of herbivory when Zn does not.