Lewis Isabeau, Friedman Jannice
Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
Proc Biol Sci. 2025 Jan;292(2039):20242387. doi: 10.1098/rspb.2024.2387. Epub 2025 Jan 29.
The composition of a plant's neighbourhood shapes its competitive interactions. Neighbours may be related individuals due to limited seed dispersal or clonal growth, so that the ability to recognize and respond to the presence of kin is beneficial. Here, we ask whether plants plastically adjust their floral and clonal allocation in response to their neighbour's identity. In a species that reproduces both sexually and clonally, we test the following predictions in response to neighbouring kin: (i) a reduction in floral display will occur to minimize costly floral structures and pollinator competition, as well as to mitigate inbreeding; and (ii) a decrease in clonality will occur to minimize resource competition and overcrowding among kin. We grew focal individuals of (syn. ) surrounded by neighbours of varying relatedness (non-kin, outcross siblings or self siblings) and measured a suite of vegetative, floral and clonal traits. Consistent with our predictions, focal plants reduced floral and clonal allocation in the presence of kin. Moreover, focal plants increased their floral and clonal allocation when surrounded by non-kin neighbours that were high-performing. Together, we demonstrate a clear and predictable response to kin, which has general implications for the structure and function of plant neighbourhoods.
植物邻域的组成塑造了其竞争相互作用。由于种子传播受限或克隆生长，邻居可能是亲缘个体，因此识别并对亲缘个体的存在做出反应的能力是有益的。在这里，我们探讨植物是否会根据邻居的身份灵活调整其花部和克隆分配。在一个有性繁殖和克隆繁殖兼具的物种中，我们针对邻近的亲缘个体检验以下预测：（i）花展示会减少，以尽量减少代价高昂的花部结构和传粉者竞争，以及减轻近亲繁殖；（ii）克隆性会降低，以尽量减少亲缘个体之间的资源竞争和过度拥挤。我们种植了（同物异名）的焦点个体，周围是不同亲缘关系的邻居（非亲缘个体、异交兄弟姐妹或自交兄弟姐妹），并测量了一系列营养、花部和克隆性状。与我们的预测一致，焦点植物在有亲缘个体存在时减少了花部和克隆分配。此外，当被表现良好的非亲缘邻居包围时，焦点植物增加了它们的花部和克隆分配。我们共同证明了对亲缘个体的一种清晰且可预测的反应，这对植物邻域的结构和功能具有普遍意义。
