<p><i>Acer caesium</i>, or Himalayan maple, is a tree species native to the Central and Western Himalaya, facing a decline in its natural population due to overexploitation. Effective conservation efforts necessitate a thorough understanding of its reproductive behaviour in natural ecosystems, yet there is a lack of information regarding its pollination ecology. To address this, a study was conducted on the floral biology and pollination ecology of A. caesium in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarahand, India. The species is dioecious, exhibiting a male-biased sex ratio in the populations studied. Both male and female flowers display characteristics typical of wind-pollinated plants. Pollination experiments indicated that A. caesium primarily relies on wind for pollination, with a minor contribution from insect activity, showcasing ambophily. Furthermore, hand-pollination experiments revealed that the species experiences pollen limitation, as supplemental pollen increased fruit set. The observed low fruit set under natural conditions is likely due to the sparse distribution of male trees relative to female trees, suggesting that conservation strategies should consider the spatial arrangement of individuals to enhance outcrossing opportunities.</p>

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Reproductive Biology of Acer caesium Wall. ex Brandis (Sapindaceae): A Dioecious Tree Species from Northwestern Himalayas

  • Sudip Kumar Roy,
  • Priyanka Khanduri,
  • Ashok K. Bhatnagar,
  • Arun K. Pandey

摘要

Acer caesium, or Himalayan maple, is a tree species native to the Central and Western Himalaya, facing a decline in its natural population due to overexploitation. Effective conservation efforts necessitate a thorough understanding of its reproductive behaviour in natural ecosystems, yet there is a lack of information regarding its pollination ecology. To address this, a study was conducted on the floral biology and pollination ecology of A. caesium in the Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Uttarahand, India. The species is dioecious, exhibiting a male-biased sex ratio in the populations studied. Both male and female flowers display characteristics typical of wind-pollinated plants. Pollination experiments indicated that A. caesium primarily relies on wind for pollination, with a minor contribution from insect activity, showcasing ambophily. Furthermore, hand-pollination experiments revealed that the species experiences pollen limitation, as supplemental pollen increased fruit set. The observed low fruit set under natural conditions is likely due to the sparse distribution of male trees relative to female trees, suggesting that conservation strategies should consider the spatial arrangement of individuals to enhance outcrossing opportunities.