The selective advantage of a mast-flowering behavior in Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum: Implications of the predator satiation hypothesis

Premise: The synchronous highly variable flower or seed production among years within a population– i.e., masting – has been reported in numerous perennial plants. Although ecological advantages of masting are recognized as the enhancement of pollination efficiency and/or escape from predator attack, little is known about the degree of these advantages and the variation in masting behavior among populations of conspecific plants.
Methods: We observed flowering ramet density and reproductive success (fruit-set success and herbivorous damage) of a perennial herb, Veratrum album subsp. oxysepalum, across six lowland and six alpine populations in northern Japan during 2–3 years. We then analyzed the relationship between floral density and reproductive success to clarify the ecological significance of mast flowering. Furthermore, flowering intervals of individual plants were estimated by counting annual scars on rhizomes.
Results: Mast flowering was observed in most populations, but flowerin...