Abstract
BackgroundIn the emerging field of community and ecosystem genetics, genetic variation and diversity in dominant plant species have been shown to play fundamental roles in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, the importance of intraspecific genetic variation and diversity to floral abundance and pollinator visitation has received little attention.Methodology/Principal FindingsUsing an experimental common garden that manipulated genotypic diversity (the number of distinct genotypes per plot) of Solidago altissima, we document that genotypic diversity of a dominant plant can indirectly influence flower visitor abundance. Across two years, we found that 1) plant genotype explained 45% and 92% of the variation in flower visitor abundance in 2007 and 2008, respectively; and 2) plant genotypic diversity had a positive and non-additive effect on floral abundance and the abundance of flower visitors, as plots established with multiple genotypes produced 25% more flowers and received 45% more flower visits than would be expected under an additive model.Conclusions/SignificanceThese results provide evidence that declines in genotypic diversity may be an important but little considered factor for understanding plant-pollinator dynamics, with implications for the global decline in pollinators due to reduced plant diversity in both agricultural and natural ecosystems.
Highlights
Plant genetic variation and genotypic diversity consistently affect community and ecosystem properties across systems and environments [see review by – 1]
Genetic Variation We found that S. altissima genotype explained 43–76% of the variation in floral abundance, 56–86% of the variation in flower visitor abundance, and 46–57% of the variation in flower visitor taxonomic richness (Table 1)
Because there was significant genetic variance for floral abundance and flower visitor community phenotypes, these results suggest that: 1) evolutionary processes that impact plant floral phenotypes may have consequences on associated interacting species; and 2) population level plant genotypic diversity might directly impact plant traits important to flower visitors, such as floral abundance, while indirectly affecting flower visitor abundance due to effects on plant traits
Summary
Plant genetic variation and genotypic diversity consistently affect community and ecosystem properties across systems and environments [see review by – 1]. Such effects of plant genetic variation in dominant plant species on biodiversity and ecosystem function have important basic and applied implications for restoration and consequences of climate change [2] and place community and ecosystem ecology in an evolutionary framework. Understanding the consequences of intra-specific genetic variation and genotypic diversity within plant communities on the local diversity and abundance of insect pollinator communities is an important ecological frontier and there are many reasons why this represents a critical research direction to explore. The importance of intraspecific genetic variation and diversity to floral abundance and pollinator visitation has received little attention
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