Ana Wilden
Project Description
"Reproductive Biology in Ruppia maritima: Pollination Processes and Post-pollination Development"
Ruppia maritima is an aquatic angiosperm found in brackish environments worldwide. R. maritima exhibits a unique form of pollination called hydrophily, in which pollen is released at the surface of the water and travels in rafts to receptive stigmas. Hydrophily may have consequences for reproductive development, but little is known about post-pollination development in hydrophilous plants. The goal of the study was to investigate reproductive development of R. maritima. Pollen is received by inflorescences at developmental stage 3; however, pollen did not germinate until stage 4. Pollen germination first occurred within 5 minutes after pollination and the majority of pollen grains germinated within 15 minutes. Pollen tubes first entered the ovule 45 minutes after pollination and by 60 minutes after pollination most ovules had been entered. The mean length of the pollen tube pathway was 268 ±46 µm, and the average pollen to ovule ration was 5872 ± 2079. Self-pollination and fertilization were also investigated in R. maritima. Characterizing the reproductive development of R. maritima will provide data for a comparative analysis of reproductive biology in water pollinated plants. This will result in a better understanding of the consequences of the transition to hydrophily for reproductive processes and structures.
Ruppia maritima is an aquatic angiosperm found in brackish environments worldwide. R. maritima exhibits a unique form of pollination called hydrophily, in which pollen is released at the surface of the water and travels in rafts to receptive stigmas. Hydrophily may have consequences for reproductive development, but little is known about post-pollination development in hydrophilous plants. The goal of the study was to investigate reproductive development of R. maritima. Pollen is received by inflorescences at developmental stage 3; however, pollen did not germinate until stage 4. Pollen germination first occurred within 5 minutes after pollination and the majority of pollen grains germinated within 15 minutes. Pollen tubes first entered the ovule 45 minutes after pollination and by 60 minutes after pollination most ovules had been entered. The mean length of the pollen tube pathway was 268 ±46 µm, and the average pollen to ovule ration was 5872 ± 2079. Self-pollination and fertilization were also investigated in R. maritima. Characterizing the reproductive development of R. maritima will provide data for a comparative analysis of reproductive biology in water pollinated plants. This will result in a better understanding of the consequences of the transition to hydrophily for reproductive processes and structures.
Presentations
2016
Botany 2016 (abstract)
Creighton Biology Department Research Colloquium
2017
Nebraska Academy of Sciences
Creighton University Research Day
Creighton Biology Department Research Colloquium
Botany 2016 (abstract)
Creighton Biology Department Research Colloquium
2017
Nebraska Academy of Sciences
Creighton University Research Day
Creighton Biology Department Research Colloquium
Publications
Taylor, M.L. *B.L. Giffei, *C.L. Dang, *A.E. Wilden, *K. M. Altrichter, *E.C. Baker, *R. Nguyen, and *D.S Oki. Reproductive ecology and postpollination development in the hydrophilous monocot Ruppia maritima. American Journal of Botany 107: 689–699