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Pollinator-Mediated Selection on Floral Traits in the Arctic Plant Parrya nudicaulis (Brassicaceae)
  • Matthew Carlson,
  • Justin Fulkerson
Matthew Carlson
University of Alaska Anchorage

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Justin Fulkerson
University of Alaska Anchorage
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Abstract

The evolution of floral traits is largely attributed to pollinator-mediated selection; however, the importance of pollinators as selective agents in pollen-limited environments is poorly resolved. In pollen-limited arctic and subarctic regions, selection is expected to either favor floral traits that increase pollinator attraction or promote reproductive assurance through selfing. We quantified phenotypic selection on floral traits in two arctic and two subarctic populations of Parrya nudicaulis. Additionally, we measured selection in plants in both open-pollination and pollen-augmentation treatments to estimate selection imposed by pollinators in one population. Seed production was found to be limited by pollen availability and strong directional selection on flower number was observed. We did not detect consistently greater magnitudes of selection on floral traits in the arctic relative to the subarctic populations. Directional selection for more pigmented flowers in one arctic population was observed however. In some populations, selection on flower color was found to interact with other traits. We did not detect consistently stronger selection gradients across all traits for plants exposed to pollinator selection relative to those in the pollen-augmentation treatment; however directional selection tended to be higher for some floral traits in open-pollinated plants.
08 Apr 2021Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
10 Apr 2021Submission Checks Completed
10 Apr 2021Assigned to Editor
12 Apr 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
25 Apr 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
28 May 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
19 Oct 20211st Revision Received
21 Oct 2021Submission Checks Completed
21 Oct 2021Assigned to Editor
21 Oct 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
29 Oct 2021Editorial Decision: Accept