Pollen as the link between floral phenotype and fitness

Author(s)
Øystein H. Opedal, Rocío Pérez-Barrales, Vinícius L. G. Brito, Nathan Muchhala, Miquel Capó, Agnes Dellinger
Abstract

Abstract Pollen plays a key role in plant reproductive biology. Despite the long history of research on pollen and pollination, recent advances in pollen-tracking methods and statistical approaches to linking plant phenotype, pollination performance, and reproductive fitness yield a steady flow of exciting new insights. In this introduction to the Special Issue ?Pollen as the Link Between Phenotype and Fitness,? we start by describing a general conceptual model linking functional classes of floral phenotypic traits to pollination-related performance metrics and reproductive fitness. We use this model as a framework for synthesizing the relevant literature, highlighting the studies included in the Special Issue, and identifying gaps in our understanding and opportunities for further development of the field. The papers that follow in this Special Issue provide new insights into the relationships between pollen production, presentation, flower morphology, and pollination performance (e.g., pollen deposition onto stigmas), the role of pollinators in pollen transfer, and the consequences of heterospecific pollen deposition. Several of the studies demonstrate exciting experimental and analytical approaches that should pave the way for continued work addressing the intriguing role of pollen in linking plant phenotypes to reproductive fitness.

Organisation(s)
Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research
External organisation(s)
Lund University, Universidad de Granada, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Saint Louis University, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Journal
American journal of botany
Volume
110
No. of pages
10
ISSN
0002-9122
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajb2.16200
Publication date
06-2023
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
106008 Botany, 106012 Evolutionary research, 106042 Systematic botany
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Genetics, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Plant Science
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/pollen-as-the-link-between-floral-phenotype-and-fitness(eb1eb814-507c-43a9-be8d-838feae78d3e).html