Cone abortion in Pinus halepensis: the role of pollen quantity, tree size and cone location

Abstract

This study describes the seasonal patterns of seed and cone abortion in natural Pinus halepensis trees and assesses the effects of pollen quantity, tree size and cone location on seed and cone abortion. The cone‐set ratio was similar to the expected value, based on literature on woody perennials. The seed‐ovule ratio, however, was almost twice as high as its expected value. The investment in protective cone elements was high and did not vary with the seed‐ovule ratio of a cone. Pollination factors influenced cone abortion, as indicated by the high abortion rate at the end of the pollination period. Furthermore, abortive cones had lower pollination rates and lower pollen loads than well developed cones. Effects of resource availability were assessed as effects of tree size and cone position on twigs. Small trees aborted more cones than big trees and cone abortion was higher in apical cones than in basal cones. Abortion in P. halepensis is selective, mediated by both pollen quantity and resource availability. The relative importance of pollen and resources is suggested to be flexible, probably varying between trees and years. The high seed‐ovule ratio of P. halepensis is the result of high pollination rate and selective abortion. The selective abortion might be due to the high allocation to protective cone elements relative to the allocation to seeds.