Abstract

Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype of producing different phenotypes when exposed to different environments, may impact ecological interactions. We study here how within-individual plasticity in Moricandia arvensis flowers modifies its pollination niche. During spring, this plant produces large, cross-shaped, UV-reflecting lilac flowers attracting mostly long-tongued large bees. However, unlike most co-occurring species, M. arvensis keeps flowering during the hot, dry summer due to its plasticity in key vegetative traits. Changes in temperature and photoperiod in summer trigger changes in gene expression and the production of small, rounded, UV-absorbing white flowers that attract a different assemblage of generalist pollinators. This shift in pollination niche potentially allows successful reproduction in harsh conditions, facilitating M. arvensis to face anthropogenic perturbations and climate change.

Floral phenotypes impact interactions between plants and pollinators. Here, the authors show that Moricandia arvensis displays discrete seasonal plasticity in floral phenotype, with large, lilac flowers attracting long-tongued bees in spring and small, rounded, white flowers attracting generalist pollinators in summer.

Details

Title
Within-individual phenotypic plasticity in flowers fosters pollination niche shift
Author
Gómez, José M 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Perfectti Francisco 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Armas, Cristina 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Narbona Eduardo 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; González-Megías Adela 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Navarro, Luis 6   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; DeSoto Lucía 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Torices Rubén 7   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain (GRID:grid.466639.8) (ISNI:0000 0004 0547 1725); Universidad de Granada, Research Unit Modeling Nature, Granada, Spain (GRID:grid.4489.1) (ISNI:0000000121678994) 
 Universidad de Granada, Research Unit Modeling Nature, Granada, Spain (GRID:grid.4489.1) (ISNI:0000000121678994); Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Genética, Granada, Spain (GRID:grid.4489.1) (ISNI:0000000121678994) 
 Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Almería, Spain (GRID:grid.466639.8) (ISNI:0000 0004 0547 1725) 
 Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Sevilla, Spain (GRID:grid.15449.3d) (ISNI:0000 0001 2200 2355) 
 Universidad de Granada, Research Unit Modeling Nature, Granada, Spain (GRID:grid.4489.1) (ISNI:0000000121678994); Universidad de Granada, Departamento de Zoología, Granada, Spain (GRID:grid.4489.1) (ISNI:0000000121678994) 
 Universidad de Vigo, Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ciencias del Suelo, Vigo, Spain (GRID:grid.6312.6) (ISNI:0000 0001 2097 6738) 
 Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Móstoles, Spain (GRID:grid.28479.30) (ISNI:0000 0001 2206 5938) 
Publication year
2020
Publication date
2020
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20411723
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2432685351
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.