Unveiling Heterospecific Pollen Deposition in <i>Ranunculus</i> Plants Along a Land-Use Gradient Through DNA Metabarcoding.

ABSTRACT: Animal pollination, the transfer of pollen by animal agents, is essential for plant reproduction. Methods like microscopy and DNA metabarcoding have been used to investigate pollen transport and plant-pollinator interactions. DNA metabarcoding, in particular, is a reliable method to identify the origins of mixed pollen samples. Although it has mainly been used to study pollinators' dietary patterns, it does not provide insights from the plant's perspective, such as the type of viable pollen received. We aimed to explore the potential of DNA metabarcoding to analyse heterospecific pollen transfer to plants in semi-natural and agricultural landscapes along a land-use intensity gradient. We collected stigmas of three closely related Ranunculus species (R. acris, R. bulbosus</

SUBMITTER: Werle S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11949568 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature