Data from: Consequences of multiple inflorescences and clonality for pollinator behavior and plant mating

Angiosperms engage in distributed reproduction, producing sex organs in multiple flowers on one or more inflorescences, including on different physical individuals of clonal plants. We investigated the effects of alternative deployments of artificial flowers for pollinator behavior and simulated pollen dispersal. Plants presented 18 flowers on either one inflorescence (1-I plants) or three inflorescences (3-I plants) spaced either closely or widely. Bees often skipped inflorescences on 3-I plants, visiting an average of 1.5 fewer flowers overall than on 1-I plants. In simulations with all flowers receiving and donating pollen, this behavior caused 7% less geitonogamy for 3-I plants, contradicting a common supposition that clonality increases geitonogamy. Bees generally moved upward within inflorescences and downward between inflorescences. Consequently, in simulations, segregation of pollen receipt to lower flowers and pollen donation to upper flowers reduced self-pollination and enhanced pollen export much more for 1-I plants. Nectar volume per flower had little relevant influence on bee behavior. The observed bee responses and simulated mating results suggest that production of multiple inflorescences and clonality promote pollination quality when flowers simultaneously receive and donate pollen, whereas a single large inflorescence is advantageous when segregation of sex roles among flowers reduces geitonogamy effectively.被子植物（Angiosperms）采取分布式繁殖策略，可在单个或多个花序（inflorescence）的多朵花中形成生殖器官，亦包括克隆植物（clonal plants）的不同生理个体上的花朵。本研究针对人工花的不同配置方案，探究其对传粉者（pollinator）行为与模拟花粉扩散的影响。实验设置两类植株：一类在单个花序上着生18朵花（记为1-I植株），另一类在三个花序上着生18朵花（记为3-I植株），且花序间距分为紧密与宽泛两种模式。蜜蜂常会跳过3-I植株的部分花序，整体平均访问的花朵数量较1-I植株少1.5朵。在所有花朵均可接收与释放花粉的模拟场景中，该行为使得3-I植株的同株异花授粉（geitonogamy）率降低7%，这与"克隆性会提升同株异花授粉率"的普遍假设相悖。蜜蜂通常会沿花序向上移动，而在不同花序之间则向下移动。据此，在模拟实验中，若将花粉接收位点限定在下部花朵、花粉释放位点限定在上部花朵，这种性别角色分离对1-I植株的自交授粉抑制与花粉输出提升效果更为显著。单朵花的花蜜体积对蜜蜂行为几乎无显著影响。本研究观测到的蜜蜂行为响应与模拟交配结果表明：当花朵同时进行花粉接收与释放时，多花序的产生与克隆性有助于提升授粉质量；而当花朵间的性别角色分离可有效降低同株异花授粉时，单一大花序则更具优势。