A model for seed size variation among plants |
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Authors: | Satoki Sakai |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Ecology, National Grassland Research Institute, 329-27 Nishinasuno, Tochigi, Japan;(2) Present address: Biological Institute, Faculty of Science, Tohoku University, 980-77 Aoba, Sendai, Japan |
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Abstract: | Summary I developed a model for seed size variation among plants assuming that the pollen captured per flower depends on both the allocation to pollen capture mechanisms per flower and the number of flowers on each plant. I showed that the optimal seed size increases with (1) the total resource allocation to reproduction, (2) decreasing outcross pollen availability, (3) decreasing probability of seedling establishment and (4) decreasing selfing rate. However, optimal seed size does not depend on the total resource allocation if the total number of pollen grains captured by a plant increases linearly with its flower number. In addition, the optimal seed size is not always positively correlated with the optimal resource allocation to pollen capture mechanisms per flower. I discussed implications of the results for seasonal decline in seed size and seed size variations among populations, such as alutitudinal variation. |
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Keywords: | seed size attractiveness pollination selfing rate size— number trade-off optimal allocation model |
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