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Research Team
Research Team
Miami University Hamilton - Department of Biological Sciences
Henlie Krause*: Applied Biology - Environmental Concentration
Ashlynn Conley*: Applied Biology - Environmental Concentration
Krisalynn Blevins*: Applied Biology - Environmental Concentration
Georgetta McGuire: Applied Biology- Human Health Science Concentration
Dr. Deidra Jacobsen: Faculty advisor, Assistant Professor, and Director of The Conservatory
(*undergrad presenters)
Photo 1: Henlie Krause (left) and Krisalyn Blevins (right) working with Physalis pubescens on programmed drip lines.
Photo 2: Georgetta McGuire taking measurements on Physalis pubescens flowers on programmed drip lines.
Introduction
Introduction
Background
When plants face stress, they must choose whether to allocate their energy to reproduction, defense, or growth, and this may be influenced by multiple stressors (e.g. herbivory and drought).
Floral traits
The timing of pollen release from anthers has been seen to influence pollination efficiency as flowers release pollen in stages (Ren and Bu 2014; Dellinger et al. 2021).
The role of male floral structures in reproductive success is understudied, and it is unclear whether plants can shift their pollen release in response to stress.
Research Question
Research Question
To better understand variability in anther timing, we used three plant species to quantify the timing of anther dehiscence under stress across species.
Methods
Methods
Solanaceous plant species Physalis longifolia, Physalis heterophylla, and Physalis pubescens were grown at The Conservatory at Miami Hamilton.
Flower measurements: anther trajectories
Buds near opening were tagged, and daily identification of anther height and dehiscence (anther opening for pollen release) was noted until flower closed (N = 1-6 flowers per plant; 6-12 plants per species).
Anther state was recorded as: down+closed, down+open, up+closed, or up+open, and the proportion of anthers in each state was caclulcated per flower.
Treatment assays
Physalis pubsecens was separated into a 2x2 factorial of drought and herbivore induction (N = 11-13 plants per treatment group).
Analysis
Linear models were used to compare anther states each day and anther trajectories (slopes) by species and within P. pubescens by treatment.
Physalis spp. growing in The Conservatory
Physalis sp. flower showing anther dehiscence and height
P. pubescens growing with drip lines for water control
Adult flowering Physalis longifolia
Results
Results
Anther trajectories
Anther trajectories
Initial anther states at anthesis (day 1) differed across species, with P. heterophylla having the most anthers down+closed.
Species also differed in the rate at which they opened their anthers, with P. pubescens moving anthers faster from down+closed to up+open than P. longifolia (p = 0.042).
Anther states per day across the three species, showing P. heterophylla has the most immature (down+closed) anthers at anthesis. P. pubescens has the highest rate of anther opening (slope of blue line). By day 4, all species had their anthers up and open.
Treatment assays
Treatment assays
At anthesis, flowers on P. pubescens plants receiving both types of stress (drought and induction) had more anthers up and open than the other three treatments that received only one type of stress or no stress (p = 0.046) (Fig 4).
P. pubescens anther states per day across the four drought and induction treatments. Plants under both types of stress (left pane), had more anthers up+open at anthesis than other treatments.
Conclusions
Conclusions
Species varied in anther maturation and dehiscence.
Drought and induction lead to faster anther dehiscence, which may result in more pollen released at once but reduced duration of pollen availability to pollinators.
This research will help to gain a better understanding of how plants shift their reproductive strategies in response to increasingly stressful environments due to climate change.
Future Study
Future Study
Future research will investigate other components of reproductive success under stress (e.g. pollen count, flower number, flower morphology).
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
Funding: Miami University Regionals Research Fund
Plant Care: Chelsea Obrebski and The Conservatory
Images Taken: Cole Coomer
For more information regarding Miami University Hamilton Conservatory, please visit this website!
References
References
Ren M-X, Bu Z-J. (2014). Is There ‘Anther-Anther Interference’ within a Flower? Evidences from One-by-One Stamen Movement in an Insect-Pollinated Plant. PLoS ONE 9(1): e86581.
Dellinger, S. A., Artuso, S., Fernandez-Fernandez, M. D., Schonenberger, J., (2023). Stamen dimorphism in bird-pollinated flowers: Investigating alternative hypotheses on the evolution of heteranthery. Evolution (75-10):2589-2599.
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