Data from: The contribution of a pollinating seed predator to selection on Silene latifolia females

Interactions, antagonistic or mutualistic, can exert selection on plant traits. We explored the role of Hadena bicruris, a pollinating seed predator, as a selective agent on its host, the dioecious plant Silene latifolia. We exposed females from artificial-selection lines (many, small flowers (SF) vs. few, large flowers (LF)) to this moth. Infestation did not differ significantly between lines, but the odds of attacked fruits aborting were higher in SF females. We partitioned selection between that caused by moth attack and that resulting from all other factors. In both lines, selection via moth attack for fewer, smaller flowers contrasted with selection via other factors for more flowers. In LF females, selection via the two components was strongest and selection via moth attack also favoured increased fruit abortion. This suggests that the moths act as more of a selective force on flower size and number via their predating than their pollinating role.

生物间的拮抗或互利相互作用，均可对植物性状施加选择压力。本研究以雌雄异株宿主植物宽叶剪秋罗（Silene latifolia）为对象，探究了传粉种子捕食者剪秋罗实夜蛾（Hadena bicruris）作为选择因子的作用效应。我们将来自两个人工选择系的雌株——多花小型（SF）品系与少花大型（LF）品系——暴露于该蛾类的环境中。结果显示，两个品系间的侵染率无显著差异，但多花小型（SF）品系的受害果实发生败育的优势比更高。我们将总选择效应分解为蛾类攻击介导的选择，与其余所有因素介导的选择两类。在两个品系中，蛾类攻击介导的对少花、小花性状的选择效应，与其余因素介导的对多花性状的选择效应形成鲜明对比。在少花大型（LF）品系中，两类组分介导的选择效应均最强，且蛾类攻击介导的选择同时也会促进果实败育。上述结果表明，相较于传粉作用，剪秋罗实夜蛾通过捕食行为对花的数量与大小施加的选择压力更为显著。