Leaf damage and gender but not flower damage affect female fitness in Nemophila menziesii (Hydrophyllaceae)

Abstract

Researchers can answer questions about the evolution or maintenance of separate sexes using dioecious plant systems. Because females in these species typically put more resources into reproductive effort than male plants, researchers have hypothesized that females may be less tolerant of the stresses found in marginal habitats. Herbivory can act as a biotic stressor that reduces resources in plants much like a marginal habitat can. Females may be limited by resources, and may thus be less tolerant to herbivory than males. Here, I explore the relationships between florivory, leaf herbivory, and gender in a gynodioecious, annual plant, Nemophila menziesii (Hydrophyllaceae, senso lato). I performed a crossed design experiment examining the main effects and interactions of plant gender, artificial leaf damage, and artificial flower damage on components of female plant fitness. Leaf damage decreased fruit set and females made significantly more fruit than hermaphrodites. However, contrary to theory, I found little evidence for a gender by damage interaction for either type of artificial herbivory. Based on these results, I propose more work exploring the effects of both source and sink damage in dioecious species to help elucidate where and when different sexual morphs are favored by natural selection.