Evolution of floral scent in relation to self-incompatibility and capacity for autonomous self-pollination in the perennial herb Arabis alpina

Background and Aims The transition from outcrossing to selfing is a frequent evolutionary shift in flowering plants and is predicted to result in reduced allocation to pollinator attraction if plants can self-pollinate autonomously. The evolution of selfing is associated with reduced visual floral signalling in many systems, but effects on floral scent have received less attention. We compared multiple populations of the arctic-alpine herb Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae), and asked whether the transition from self-incompatibility to self-compatibility has been associated with reduced visual and chemical floral signalling. We further examined whether floral signalling differ between self-compatible populations with low and high capacity for autonomous self-pollination, as would be expected if benefits of signalling decrease with reduced dependence on pollinators for pollen transfer. Methods In a common garden we documented flower size and floral scent emission rate and composition in eight self-compatible and nine self-incompatible A. alpina populations. These included self-compatible Scan-dinavian populations with high capacity for autonomous self-pollination, self-compatible populations with low capacity for autonomous self-pollination from France and Spain, and self-incompatible populations from Italy and Greece. Key Results The self-compatible populations produced smaller and less scented flowers than the self-incompatible populations. However, flower size and scent emission rate did not differ between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination. Floral scent composition differed between self-compatible and self-incompatible populations, but also varied substantially among populations within the two categories. Conclusions Our study demonstrates extensive variation in floral scent among populations of a geographically widespread species. Contrary to expectation, floral signalling did not differ between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination, indicating that dependence on pollinator attraction can only partly explain variation in floral signalling. Additional variation may reflect adaptation to other aspects of local environments, genetic drift, or a combination of these processes.

Automated summary

The study compared flower size and floral scent emission in different populations of Arabis alpina, and found that self-compatible populations had smaller and less scented flowers compared to self-incompatible populations. However, there was no significant difference in flower size and scent emission between self-compatible populations with high and low capacity for autonomous self-pollination. Floral scent composition varied between self-compatible and self-incompatible populations, as well as among populations within each category.