Abstract Detail

Reproductive Processes

Kern, Brooke [1], Carley, Lauren [1], Moeller, David [2].

Direct quantification of pollen dispersal using quantum dots shows extensive pollen movement across large populations of Clarkia xantiana.

Pollen dispersal is a key component of gene exchange within and between plant populations. However, pollen dispersal remains poorly understood because of methodological limitations. Quantum dots provide a means to directly track pollen movement to large numbers of individuals across multiple populations with minimal cost. We estimated pollen dispersal kernels in nine populations of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana, a California annual pollinated by solitary bees, including specialists. In addition, we tested whether pollen dispersal is density dependent.
We used quantum dots to track pollen movement in circular experimental arrays that varied in natural conspecific density. In each population, we labeled pollen for a set of donor plants in the center of the array and harvested stigmas from thirty plants at distances of 5 – 35 m.
We detected labeled pollen on ~75% of stigmas over a scale of 35 m (963 stigmas from nine populations). Labeled pollen deposition did not decline with distance in any of the nine populations. Labeled pollen deposition was generally higher for recipient plants found in higher density patches, and this effect of density was stronger at shorter distances. Our results suggest that pollen transfer occurs evenly within populations even over large distances, which should result in a broad genetic neighborhood size.

1 - University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Ave, Saint Paul, MN, 55108, USA
2 - Department Of Plant And Microbial Biology, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, United States

Keywords:
Pollen Dispersal
Pollination.

Presentation Type: Poster
Number: PRP007
Abstract ID:820
Candidate for Awards:None