Fruit and seed set.csv

<b>PREMISE OF THE STUDY: </b>On islands, flowering plants tend to be more generalist in their pollination needs, as insects (the main pollinators of flowering plants) are under-represented in these ecosystems compared to the mainland. In addition, some vertebrate species that are typically insectivorous or granivorous on the mainland are forced to broaden their diet and consume other resources such as nectar or pollen on the islands. The shrub Malva arborea L., with its large and colourful flowers, attracts different groups of potential pollinators. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of vertebrates vs insects in an insular population of M. arborea and to investigate its reproductive system.<b>METHODS:</b> For three groups of taxa (insects, birds and lizards), we assessed the two components of pollination effectiveness: (i) the quantitative component (i.e. number of visits and number of flower contacted) through direct observations of flowers; and (ii) the qualitative component (fruit and seed set, number and size of seeds, and proportion of seedling emergence) through pollinator exclusion experiments.<b>KEY RESULTS:</b> Vertebrates (birds and lizards) were quantitatively the most effective pollinators, followed by insects. However, when all three groups visited the flowers, fruit and seed set were higher than when any of them were excluded. We also found that M. arborea has hermaphrodite flowers and is able to reproduce by autogamy, although less efficiently than when pollinated by animals.<b>CONCLUSIONS:</b> Both, vertebrates and insects play an important role in the reproduction of M. arborea. Although the plant does not need pollinators to produce seeds, its reproductive success increases when all pollinators are allowed to visit the flowers. Besides providing new information on M. arborea, these findings may help to better understand the role of different pollinator groups in the reproduction of other plant species, especially on islands where the co-occurrence of vertebrate and invertebrate pollination in the same plant species is usual.<b>研究背景：</b>在岛屿生态系统中，相较于大陆，昆虫（显花植物的主要传粉者）类群丰度较低，因此显花植物的传粉需求往往更具泛化性。此外，部分在大陆以食虫或食谷为主的脊椎动物类群，在岛屿环境中被迫拓宽食谱，转而取食花蜜、花粉等其他资源。树锦葵（Malva arborea L.）为灌木，其花朵硕大艳丽，可吸引多类潜在传粉者。本研究旨在对比脊椎动物与昆虫在树锦葵岛屿种群中的传粉效力，并探究其繁殖系统。 <b>研究方法：</b>针对昆虫、鸟类与蜥蜴三大类群，我们通过野外花部直接观察评估传粉效力的两个组成部分：(i) 定量组分，即访花次数与接触花的数量；(ii) 定性组分，包括坐果率、结籽量、种子大小以及幼苗出苗率，上述定性组分通过传粉者排除实验测定。 <b>主要结果：</b>脊椎动物（鸟类与蜥蜴）在定量维度上为最有效的传粉者，其次为昆虫。但当三大类群均可访花时，坐果率与结籽率显著高于排除任意一类群的处理组。此外，本研究发现树锦葵为两性花植物，可通过自花授粉完成繁殖，但其繁殖效率低于动物传粉处理。 <b>研究结论：</b>脊椎动物与昆虫均对树锦葵的繁殖发挥重要作用。尽管该植物无需传粉者即可产生种子，但当所有传粉类群均可访花时，其繁殖成功率会显著提升。本研究不仅为树锦葵的繁殖生物学提供了新的认知数据，同时有助于深入理解不同传粉类群在其他植物物种繁殖中的作用，尤其针对脊椎动物与无脊椎动物传粉在同一植物物种中共存较为普遍的岛屿生态系统。