Dever 1

Merissa Nay Dever

Professor Linda Rittenhouse
Biology 1615-040
Fall 2014
A Multi-Year Study of Factors Affecting Fruit Production in Aristolochia paucinervis
In Spain, grows a self-pollinating perennial plant called the Aristolochia
paucinervis. This vining plant can have flowers that vary in color amongst several
populations. For this study, which lasted from 2001 to 2005, two populations from the
Mediterranean region of Spain were studied. They consisted of the Membrillo
population and also the Cuadrejon population. The research was done on these
populations to determine what factors would cause the hermaphroditic plants to have
such a low fruit production rate. It had been previously predicted that pollination issues,
predation, and resource requirements were the deciding factors causing a low fruit yield
from these flowering plants. Various universal factors were stated as a cause for the
plants reproductive problems, but none had been officially proven which led to this
study being performed.
During this research, there was experiments on pollination with pollen grains
from the same plants, and also from others within a specified range of the studied
plants. The researchers checked certain flowers by bagging them at the beginning of
the flowering period. After the flowering period they checked their stigmata, to count the
number of pollen granules that were germinated without additional pollinators being
allowed to enter. The tuber size of the plants were also tested, to see if they played a
role in fruit production, or lack of. The researchers collected data from two different

color flowers, to see if different phenotypes attracted a different number of pollinators,

which would lead to an increase in fruit production. By using two different species of the
plant, which lived in two different regions, with different environmental issues, the
researchers had a good sample size for the study. They conducted the study over a 5
year period due to environmental conditions being varied, and unknown information on
how the pollinators worked. Multiple field observations were completed, along with
experiments on pollination to make sure sufficient data was produced. They used the
Mann Whitney U test along with several statistical programs to help provide accurate
data, when normalization was not an option. Throughout the study, predation was also
observed and recorded. From both locations, control plants were studied. A portion of
the control plants were uprooted to keep them designated from other plants for
verification reasons, as the vines on these plants can become intertwined. The control
flowers were tagged and used during pollination experimentation.
By the end of the study, it was determined that the original ideas that had been
previously thought about low fruit sets, were indeed true. Pollination issues were the
number one reason for the low amount of fruit being produced. Insects were not good
pollinators for these plants due to the highly specialized way the plant traps them and
then holds on to them, for a period of time, before releasing them loaded up with pollen.
Environmental factors which limited resources were also a cause in the low fruit
production. Tuber size was another deciding element that played a role in the plants
reproduction. The larger size tubers produced more flowers and fruit, while tubers
below a certain size produced none. The data proved that the plants need a minimum
size of tuber in order for pollination to correctly take place. The hypothesis of the paper

was supported with a great deal of data, including statistical and comparison data.
There was charts and graphs provided to demonstrate their findings, which really
helped make the results visual to the reader.
I do agree with the research that was presented in this paper. The controls they
used were well documented and they used a very sufficient sample size in all of the
experiments. The scientific method was clearly followed. The researchers used a great
deal of observation during their study, along with different tools to measure, test, and
perform experiments on the plants to validate their hypothesis. The main point I took
from the research was that, autonomous self-pollinating plants are better equipped to
deal with the pollination process and issues, internally, without the influence of outside
pollinators. The plants seem to cope with resource issues okay, and are only mildly
affected by them when the resource issue becomes severe.

Work Cited
Berjano, Regina, Clara De Vega, Montserrat Arista, Pedro L. Ortiz, and Salvador
Talavera. "A Multi-year Study of Factors Affecting Fruit Production in Aristolochia
paucinervis." American Journal of Botany 93.4 (2006): 599-606. Web.