Sex-specific volatile compounds influence microarthropod-mediated fertilization of moss.
Nature
; 489(7416): 431-3, 2012 Sep 20.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22810584
Sexual reproduction in non-vascular plants requires unicellular free-motile sperm to travel from male to female reproductive structures across the terrestrial landscape. Recent data suggest that microarthropods can disperse sperm in mosses. However, little is known about the chemical communication, if any, that is involved in this interaction or the relative importance of microarthropod dispersal compared to abiotic dispersal agents in mosses. Here we show that tissues of the cosmopolitan moss Ceratodon purpureus emit complex volatile scents, similar in chemical diversity to those described in pollination mutualisms between flowering plants and insects, that the chemical composition of C. purpureus volatiles are sex-specific, and that moss-dwelling microarthropods are differentially attracted to these sex-specific moss volatile cues. Furthermore, using experimental microcosms, we show that microarthropods significantly increase moss fertilization rates, even in the presence of water spray, highlighting the important role of microarthropod dispersal in contributing to moss mating success. Taken together, our results indicate the presence of a scent-based 'plant-pollinator-like' relationship that has evolved between two of Earth's most ancient terrestrial lineages, mosses and microarthropods.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Artrópodos
/
Briófitas
/
Polinización
/
Compuestos Orgánicos Volátiles
/
Fertilización
/
Odorantes
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nature
Año:
2012
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido