The role of pollinators and seed predators in the regeneration of Hedysarum criniferum Boiss in Esfahan province.

Pollinators and seed predators may strongly influence some of the plant reproductive fitness measures. For supporting conservation and development of the plant species with local dispersal، identification of favorable and unfavorable factors on the species reproduction is needed، especially in the case of palatable and nitrogen-fixing legumes with high nutritional value. This study aimed atdetermining the role of pollinators and seed predators and their interaction in seed production of Hedysarum criniferum Boiss. To achieve the goal، the following treatments were applied in the natural habitat of the plant: pollinators excluded/seed predators present; seed predators excluded/pollinators present; seed predators excluded/pollinators excluded; and a control (neither excluded). Tulle-mesh cages were used to prevent insect pollinators and seed predators to affect the plants. The response variables were the number of seeds produced per plant، the number of loments produced per plant and the proportion of attacked fruits by seed predators per plant. The results showed that the pollination impact was supportive and caused a 47. 6 fold increment in loments and a 62. 6 fold increase in produced seeds compared to their absence. It was found that the pollinators were more effective than the seed predators on the reproduction of this plant. In addition، the seed predators infected 27% of the seeds compared to the control. Despite the fact that seed predators caused the loss of about one-fourth of the seeds، the healthy seeds produced by the plant was sufficient such that seed predators were not a significant threat to the plant’s survival. Consequently، seed predators possibly could not be considered as the main factor for patchiness in the distribution of H. criniferum. Moreover، a non-significant herbivory × pollination interaction on seed production of H. criniferum (p≥0. 05) was found.