Testing the oviposition cues that drive preference of <i></i>Hylemya<i></i> for different sexes of <i></i>Polemonium foliosissimum<i></i>
Abstract
This investigation focused on how mutualists and antagonists affect the flowers of different sexes within the same species. My study examined plant and insect interactions in Polemonium foliosissimum to better understand the selective pressures that influenced the evolution of gynodioecy in this plant species. My manipulative experiment and observations were designed to determine (1) if the pre-dispersal seed predator Hylemya chooses floral cues such as flower size and presence of pollen in selecting a plant to lay eggs on and (2) if Hylemya chooses the same floral cues as pollinators in plant selection. I found that plant sex and floral traits seemed to not be a factor in plant selection by these insects, but a trend in un-manipulated plant selection indicated that they preferred visiting undamaged plants. The results of this study imply that other mechanisms such as plant defense or perhaps plant appearance may influence Hylemya and pollinator preference. Key Words: Polemonium foliosissimum; Gynodioecy; pre-dispersal seed predator; pollinator; Hylemya.
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