Abstract
Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction. We model the consequences of these features for plant population dynamics and mating system evolution. Our mating systems-based population dynamics model includes an Allee effect. This often leads to an extinction threshold, defined as a density below which population densities decrease. Reliance on generalist pollinators who primarily visit higher density plant species increases the extinction threshold, whereas autonomous modes of selfing decrease and can eliminate the threshold. Generalist pollinators visiting higher density plant species coupled with autonomous selfing may introduce an effect where populations decreasing in density below the extinction threshold may nonetheless persist through selfing. The extinction threshold and selfing at low density result in populations where individuals adopting a single reproductive strategy exhibit mating systems that depend on population density. The ecological and evolutionary analyses provide a mechanism where prior selfing evolves even though inbreeding depression is greater than one-half. Simultaneous consideration of ecological and evolutionary dynamics confirms unusual features (e.g., evolution into extinction or abrupt increases in population density) implicit in our separate consideration of ecological and evolutionary scenarios. Our analysis has consequences for understanding pollen limitation, reproductive assurance, and the evolution of mating systems.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
In the model, reliance on generalist pollinators that visit higher-density plant species increases the extinction threshold.
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e1“Reliance on generalist pollinators who primarily visit higher density plant species increases the extinction threshold”
Claim · model-written summary
In the model, autonomous selfing decreases the extinction threshold.
- Taxon
- flowering plantsMagnoliopsidae0
- Treatment
- autonomous modes of selfinge2
- Outcome
- extinction thresholde1
- Direction
- decreasee2
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e1“Reliance on generalist pollinators who primarily visit higher density plant species increases the extinction threshold”
e2“autonomous modes of selfing decrease and can eliminate the threshold”
Claim · model-written summary
In the model, autonomous selfing can eliminate the extinction threshold.
- Taxon
- flowering plantsMagnoliopsidae0
- Treatment
- autonomous modes of selfinge2
- Outcome
- extinction thresholde1
- Direction
- eliminatee2
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e1“Reliance on generalist pollinators who primarily visit higher density plant species increases the extinction threshold”
e2“autonomous modes of selfing decrease and can eliminate the threshold”
Claim · model-written summary
Populations decreasing below the extinction threshold may persist through selfing (hypothesis from the model).
- Taxon
- flowering plantsMagnoliopsidae0
- Outcome
- populations decreasing in density below the extinction threshold may nonetheless persiste3
- Qualifier
- through selfinge3
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e3“populations decreasing in density below the extinction threshold may nonetheless persist through selfing”
Claim · model-written summary
Under selfing at low density, individuals with a single reproductive strategy show mating systems that depend on population density.
- Taxon
- flowering plantsMagnoliopsidae0
- Treatment
- selfing at low densitye4
- Outcome
- mating systemse4
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e4“The extinction threshold and selfing at low density result in populations where individuals adopting a single reproductive strategy exhibit mating systems that depend on population density”
Claim · model-written summary
The model provides a mechanism by which prior selfing evolves even though inbreeding depression exceeds one-half.
- Taxon
- flowering plantsMagnoliopsidae0
- Outcome
- prior selfing evolvese5
- Qualifier
- even though inbreeding depression is greater than one-halfe5
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e5“prior selfing evolves even though inbreeding depression is greater than one-half”
Claim · model-written summary
Combined ecological and evolutionary modelling shows unusual features such as evolution into extinction or abrupt increases in population density.
- Taxon
- flowering plantsMagnoliopsidae0
- Outcome
- evolution into extinction or abrupt increases in population densitye6
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Many flowering plants rely on pollinators, self-fertilization, or both for reproduction”
e6“evolution into extinction or abrupt increases in population density”