Artículo de revista
Floral allocation at different altitudes in highly autogamous alpine Chaetanthera euphrasioides (Asteraceae) in the central Chilean Andes
Fecha
2012-11-20Registro en:
Alp Botany (2013) 123:7–12
DOI 10.1007/s00035-012-0109-9
Autor
Arroyo, Mary T. K.
Institución
Resumen
In the alpine life-zone, increasingly slower and
unpredictable pollination at the higher altitudes predict an
increase in floral investment in strongly outcrossing, pollenlimited
biotically pollinated plant species, but not in autonomously
self-pollinating species. Plant size, floral and
above-ground vegetative biomass and individual capitulum
biomass were studied in highly autogamous Chaetanthera
euphrasioides (DC.) F. Meigen (Asteraceae) at 2,400 m
a.s.l. and 3,300–3,400 m a.s.l. in the high Andes of central
Chile. Contrary to prediction, altitude had a small positive
effect on floral biomass investment and the anisometric
relationship between floral investment, and plant size differed
at the two altitudes. Individual capitulum size,
however, was not affected by altitude. Plastic floral allocation
and selection to increase seed production and ameliorate
stronger inbreeding at the higher elevations are discussed as
possible explanations for the small but unexpected altitudinal
increase in floral allocation.