| dc.description.abstract | Carnivorous plants are threatened by factors such as habitat destruction, so it is important to understand the factors affecting these populations. The size and expansion of plant populations are dependent in part on the production of offspring (seeds). However, the number of seeds produced can be influenced by pollination levels and, once produced, seeds can be lost to seed predation. We analyzed the proportion of ovules (immature seeds) fertilized per ovary and the proportion of seeds lost to pre-dispersal seed predation in two populations of the carnivorous plant Sarracenia alata. Mature ovaries were collected from flowers in Middle Branch Bog in Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana in 2008 and from a bog in Leon County, TX in 2015, 2016, and 2019. The average proportion of ovules fertilized in 2019 (0.178 + 0.066; mean + SE) was significantly lower (P < 0.001) than that in the other years sampled (0.779 + 0.048, 0.736 + 0.029, 0.694 + 0.066, for the 2008, 2015, and 2016 samples, respectively). The average percent of seeds consumed by Endothenia daekaena across years in the Leon County site was 27.06% + 0.094 and did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) among years. Combined, these data demonstrate a significant loss of reproductive effort due to pollen limitation and pre-dispersal seed predation. | |
