Journal
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
Volume 108, Issue 2, Pages 216-235Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1609
Keywords
Agavoidea; Asparagaceae; bat pollination; conservation; desert; genetic resources; mescal; population genetics; phylogeography
Categories
Funding
- American Society of Plant Taxonomists
- Botanical Society of America: BSA Development and Structure section, BSA Ecology section, BSA Economic Botany section and BSA Genetics section
- CONACyT Proyecto Fronteras de la Ciencias [177, CB2011/167826]
- Problemas Nacionales-Proyecto Milpa to Daniel Pinero
- Instituto de Ecologia, Operative Budget UNAM, Papiit, DGAPA, UNAM [IN202712, IN224309]
- CONABIO [KE004, PE001]
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The genus Agave, with over 200 species, is a diverse and complex group of plants with unique adaptations such as massive inflorescences and coevolution with nectarivorous bats. The physiological and ecological roles of Agave species make them keystone species in various ecosystems, providing essential resources for numerous animal species.
With more than 200 species, the genus Agave is one of the most interesting and complex groups of plants in the world, considering for instance its great diversity and adaptations. The adaptations include the production of a single, massive inflorescence (the largest among plants) where after growing for many years, sometimes more than 30, the rosette dies shortly afterward, and the remarkable coevolution with their main pollinators, nectarivorous bats, in particular of the genus Leptonycteris. The physiological adaptations of Agave species include a photosynthetic metabolism that allows efficient use of water and a large degree of succulence, helping to store water and resources for their massive flowering event. Ecologically, the agaves are keystone species on which numerous animal species depend for their subsistence due to the large amounts of pollen and nectar they produce, that support many pollinators, including bats, perching birds, hummingbirds, moths, and bees. Moreover, in many regions of Mexico and in the southwestern United States, agaves are dominant species. We describe the contributions of H. S. Gentry to the understanding of agaves and review recent advances on the study of the ecology and evolution of the genus. We analyze the present and inferred past distribution patterns of different species in the genus, describing differences in their climatic niche and adaptations to dry conditions. We interpret these patterns using molecular clock data and phylogenetic analyses and information of their coevolving pollinators and from phylogeographic, morphological, and ecological studies and discuss the prospects for their future conservation and management.
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