Sex ratios in flux: seasonal dynamics and methodological insights in <i>Rumex</i> species

Dioecy-separate male and female individuals-occurs in less than 10% of angiosperms. Studying dioecy and plant sex chromosomes is key to understanding sex determination, genetic diversity, and ecological interactions, with implications for crop breeding, conservation, and pollination management. Many dioecious plant species deviate from the 1:1 sex ratio expected under Fisher's principle, displaying male- or female-biased populations. The genus <i>Rumex</i> (Polygonaceae) is a valuable model for investigating sex-ratio variation and sex chromosome evolution. The dioecious species <i>Rumex acetosa</i> and <i>R. thyrsiflorus</i> possess heteromorphic sex chromosomes and typically exhibit female-biased sex ratios in natural populations. However, the environmental and developmental drivers of these biases remain largely unresolved. Previous studies on <i>Rumex</i> have often relied on single or infrequent population surveys, potentially overlooking the seasonal dynamics of sex ratios, especially given phenological differences between sexes. Female plants remain morphologically recognizable for longer periods due to seed set, which can bias sex-ratio estimates when sampling is limited to specific reproductive stages or time points. To address these limitations, we systematically investigated the temporal dynamics of observable sex ratios in <i>R. acetosa</i> and <i>R. thyrsiflorus</i> throughout an entire growing season using regular monitoring. Our results demonstrate that observable sex ratios in these populations are dynamic, with significant seasonal fluctuations driven by differences in developmental timing and the duration of morphological recognizability between sexes. As a result, the period during which field-observed sex ratios accurately reflect the true population structure is both limited and highly dependent on the timing of observations. Notably, the earlier flowering of male plants in <i>R. acetosa</i> can lead to male-biased sex ratios in early-season surveys, while the prolonged recognizability of fruiting females may bias estimates toward females later in the season.