IMIS

Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps
[ report an error in this record ]basket (1): add | show Print this page

one publication added to basket [31134]
Sexual reproductive success in Posidonia oceanica
Balestri, E.; Cinelli, F. (2003). Sexual reproductive success in Posidonia oceanica. Aquat. Bot. 75(1): 21-32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0304-3770(02)00151-1
In: Aquatic Botany. Elsevier Science: Tokyo; Oxford; New York; London; Amsterdam. ISSN 0304-3770; e-ISSN 1879-1522, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Keywords
    Aquatic organisms > Heterotrophic organisms > Herbivores
    Behaviour > Feeding behaviour > Grazing
    Disorders > Diseases > Functional disorders > Diseases > Reproductive disorders > Abortion
    Flora > Weeds > Marine organisms > Seaweeds > Sea grass
    Interspecific relationships > Predation
    Reproduction > Sexual reproduction
    Reproductive cycle
    Posidonia oceanica (Linnaeus) Delile, 1813 [WoRMS]
    MED, Italy, Tuscany, Livorno [Marine Regions]
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    seagrasses; Posidonia oceanica; fruit abortion; fruit predation;reproductive success

Authors  Top 
  • Balestri, E., more
  • Cinelli, F.

Abstract
    To identify the factors that might contribute to limiting the sexual reproduction of Posidonia oceanica we examined: (1) flowering and fruiting phenology; (2) variability in flowering frequency, seed production and reproductive success (i.e. the proportion of flowers setting mature fruits per unit area) over a 2-year period; and (3) losses of potential seed production to fruit abortion and/or pre-dispersal seed predation. The flowering frequency of P. oceanica varied among years, ranging between 7.9 and 19.8%. Despite the large number of flowers and ovules, few of these produced mature fruits owing to abortion. Moreover, about 84% of developing inflorescences were damaged by herbivores. Fruit production varied among years, ranging from 4.7 to 13.5 fruits per m2, but reproductive success remained constant (2.0-2.4%). Exclusion of herbivores showed that abortion alone was reponsible for the loss of about 87% of the reproductive potential. Since reduced fertilization did not completely explain the observed frequency of abortion, it was hypothesized that post-fertilization factors could affect seed formation. The higher reproductive success of protected plants (11.2%) compared to herbivore-exposed plants (3.1%) indicated that predation significantly reduced the number of seeds available for establishment. We concluded that pre-dispersal seed losses to abortion and predation may seriously reduce the reproductive success of the species.

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors