Surface and submarine pollination in the seagrass Zostera marina L.

Abstract

COX, P. A., LAUSHMAN, R. H. & RUCKLESHAUS, M. H., 1992. Surface and submarine pollination in the seagrass Zostera marina L. Hydrophilous plants can be divided into three ecological categories depending upon whether their pollen is transported above, on, or under the water surface. A mixed mode of submarine and surface hydrophilous pollination occurs in the seagrass Zostera marina L. In the surface mode of pollination, pollen rafts or ‘search vehicles’ which superficially resemble snowflakes, form at low tide and are transported on the surface of the sea by winds and water currents. Some of the search vehicles collide with the floating female stigmas, effecting pollination. In the submarine mode of pollination, small pollen masses resembling whisk brooms travel beneath the surface of the water. Although we failed to observe a submarine pollination event, SEM analysis of stigmas from subtidal populations confirms that submarine pollination does occur in Z. marina. However, observations of stigmas positioned at and below the surface of the water show surface pollination to be highly efficient. Electrophoretic evaluation of both subtidal and intertidal populations indicates significant genetic variation between populations. Given the high flux rates of surface-borne pollen and pollen viability in excess of 5 h, it is likely that surface-borne pollen is a major source of gene flow in Zostera marina populations.