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Bat and Hummingbird Pollination of an Autotetraploid Columnar Cactus, Weberbauerocereus weberbaueri (Cactaceae)

1996; Wiley; Volume: 83; Issue: 10 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2307/2446118

1537-2197

Catherine T. Sahley,

Plant and animal studies

American Journal of BotanyVolume 83, Issue 10 p. 1329-1336 Article Bat and hummingbird pollination of an AUTOTETRAPLOID COLUMNAR CACTUS, Weberbauerocereus weberbaueri (Cactaceae) Catherine T. Sahley, Catherine T. Sahley Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, 33124Current address: CONATURA, Apartado 688, Arequipa, Peru (Fax: 5154 424372).Search for more papers by this author Catherine T. Sahley, Catherine T. Sahley Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, 33124Current address: CONATURA, Apartado 688, Arequipa, Peru (Fax: 5154 424372).Search for more papers by this author First published: 01 October 1996 https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1537-2197.1996.tb13918.xCitations: 39 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract I present data on flower morphology, pollination, breeding system, and genetic diversity of the columnar cactus Weber-bauerocereus weberbaueri at 2500 m elevation in southwestern Peru. Weberbauerocereus weberbaueri is a self-compatible columnar cactus that is visited and pollinated by one species of rare endemic bat, Platalina genovensium, and two species of hummingbirds, Patagona gigas and Rhodopis vesper. W. weberbaueri exhibits pronounced interplant variation in floral color and size, and flowers exhibit traits corresponding to both bat and hummingbird pollination syndromes. Starch-gel electrophoresis of flower bud tissue indicated that W. weberbaueri is an autotetraploid and that genetic diversity (Hep = 0.257) of the study population was high relative to diploid plants but similar to other tetraploid species. Initial fruit set from pollinator exclusion experiments conducted in 1991 and 1993, at the onset of and after a drought associated with the El Niño event of 1991–1992, revealed that bats were the most important pollinators in 1991, but that hummingbirds and diurnal insects were most important in 1993. In both years, however, autogamy and lepidopteran larval infestation of fruits reduced differences in mature fruit production among pollinator exclusion treatments so that differences in mature fruit set were not statistically significant. Reduced bat pollination in 1993 is attributed to the reduced abundance of bats at the study site during a drought caused by El Niño. I hypothesize that interaction among several factors, including tetraploidy, autogamy, larval infestation of developing fruits, and variation in pollinator abundance, may not result in strong selection for a bat vs. hummingbird floral morph, thus allowing the persistence of floral variation in this cactus. Citing Literature Volume83, Issue10October 1996Pages 1329-1336 RelatedInformation