Article
Plant Sciences
Barbara Keller, Rita Ganz, Emiliano Mora-Carrera, Michael D. Nowak, Spyros Theodoridis, Konstantina Koutroumpa, Elena Conti
Summary: This study quantified the strengths and asymmetries of reproductive barriers and hybridization between florally heteromorphic primroses using field, experimental, and molecular data. It revealed that species integrity relies on multiple barriers, with ethological isolation being one of the strongest. Reproductive barriers were found to be weaker for Primula veris and short-styled plants, a pattern supported by molecular data.
Article
Ecology
Robin Hopkins
Summary: Pollinator behavior plays a crucial role in plant speciation, but the mechanisms behind this process are still not well understood. This study presents a model that examines how the relative frequencies of plants and pollinators in a community influence ethological reproductive isolation. The model suggests that both pollinator constancy and preference contribute to reproductive isolation, with pollinators showing stronger preference having a larger impact. The study provides new insights into the role of pollinator specialization in reproductive isolation and how it can be influenced by changing biological communities.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Judith Trunschke, Klaus Lunau, Graham H. Pyke, Zong-Xin Ren, Hong Wang
Summary: The evolution of floral traits in animal-pollinated plants involves the interaction between flowers and pollinators. Research shows that pollinator-mediated selection has limited impact on continuous color variation in flowers. The complex interactions between flower colors and pollinator sensory abilities, cognitive responses, and behavior warrant further investigation in understanding the distribution of color phenotypes and fitness.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jin Zhang, Syed Ali Komail Raza, Zhiqiang Wei, Ian W. Keesey, Anna L. Parker, Felix Feistel, Jingyuan Chen, Sina Cassau, Richard A. Fandino, Ewald Grosse-Wilde, Shuanglin Dong, Joel Kingsolver, Jonathan Gershenzon, Markus Knaden, Bill S. Hansson
Summary: Plant-insect interactions are complex, involving multiple trophic levels and species. Herbivore attack on a host plant changes the plant's odor emission, and well-adapted herbivores can judge these changes to determine host suitability. However, the molecular and olfactory mechanisms underlying the effects of previous infestations on oviposition preferences remain unknown.
Article
Plant Sciences
Estefania Tobajas, Virginia Dominguez-Garcia, Francisco P. Molina, Ignasi Bartomeus
Summary: The stability of ecological communities is influenced by species richness and the asynchrony of species abundance fluctuations. However, the relationship between community stability and the stability of ecosystem functioning has been little explored, especially for functions involving several trophic levels. Using data from Mediterranean shrublands and plant species, this study found that plant visitation rates stability is driven by the asynchrony of pollinator species abundances, but pollinator species richness has only an indirect effect. On the other hand, the stability of plant reproductive success is not related to the stability of pollinator visitation rates.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaoyue Wang, Demei Hu, Yan Chen, Mengda Xiang, Hanqing Tang, Yin Yi, Xiaoxin Tang
Summary: In the distylous plant Tirpitzia sinensis, the long-styled and short-styled morphs exhibit differential floral traits relevant to pollination. The long-styled morph has more pollen and nectar, adapt to the pollination by hawkmoths active at night. The short-styled morph has a higher sucrose/hexose ratio in its nectar, making it more attractive to hawkmoths but with lower pollination efficiency.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tial C. Ling, Patcharin Phokasem, Chainarong Sinpoo, Yong-Ping Yang, Terd Disayathanoowat
Summary: The study found that microhabitat and pollinator isolation are the most important isolating barriers in maintaining the coexistence of the two Salvia species, while post-pollination barriers play an important role in preventing gene flow between these two Salvia species.
Review
Biology
Claudia Kohler, Katarzyna Dziasek, Gerardo Del Toro-De Leon
Summary: The endosperm is a developmental innovation of angiosperms that supports embryo growth and germination, while also preventing hybridization between different species to drive plant evolution. Current genetic approaches have revealed a significant role for epigenetic processes in establishing reproductive barriers in the endosperm.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ningning Wu, Elizabeth Evans, Bas van Schooten, Jesyka Melendez-Rosa, Yadira Ortiz, Silvia M. Planas Soto-Navarro, Steven M. Van Belleghem, Brian A. Counterman, Riccardo Papa, Wei Zhang
Summary: This study examines the gene expression profiles and genomic divergence of three sensory tissues between sexes and life stages in two hybridizing butterflies. The research found evidence of widespread gene expression divergence, supporting the crucial role of sensory tissues in the establishment of species barriers. The study also reveals that sensory diversification increases in a manner consistent with evolutionary divergence.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Francisco Javier Jimenez-Lopez, Montserrat Arista, Maria Talavera, Leonor Patricia Cerdeira Morellato, John R. Pannell, Juan Viruel, Pedro L. Ortiz Ballesteros
Summary: The genetic divergence between species depends on reproductive isolation (RI) caused by traits reducing interspecific mating (prezygotic isolation) or reduced hybrid fitness (postzygotic isolation). Prezygotic barriers were found to be generally stronger than postzygotic barriers, but previous studies mostly examined F-1 hybrid fitness in early life cycle stages. This study combined field and experimental data to assess the strength of 17 prezygotic and postzygotic reproductive barriers between co-occurring Lysimachia species. The results showed near complete RI between the two species, with prezygotic barriers contributing more in reducing gene flow in allopatry, while their contributions were more similar in sympatry. The strength of postzygotic RI was underestimated when effects on late stages of the life cycle were disregarded.
Article
Entomology
Ruxu Li, Xi Huang, Xilian Xu, Su Wang, Yuting Yang, Ning Di, Hu Li, Lixia Tian
Summary: Insect pollination is a vital process for the natural ecosystem and crop reproduction. Bumblebees, especially Bombus terrestris, are widely used pollinators for crops such as tomato. The efficiency of bee pollination is influenced by various factors, including bee species, plant nutrition, and herbivores like Bemisia tabaci. This study found that B. terrestris preferred tomato plants damaged by B. tabaci, and identified specific plant volatiles induced by B. tabaci that significantly attracted B. terrestris.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Erin B. Lowe, Russell Groves, Claudio Gratton
Summary: Planting flowers along crop field edges effectively increases pollinator richness and abundance, with plantings becoming more effective as they mature. However, the impact on crop pollination and yield is inconsistent, and planting size and richness do not change these results. Critical knowledge gaps remain regarding how plantings can improve ecosystem service provision and delivery.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Jingli Gao, Wenjing Cai, Wenxi Li, Yang Zheng, Xiaoying Bi
Summary: The study on the allopatric sister species Iris dichotoma and I. domestica shows that besides geographical isolation, they don't have other prezygotic isolating mechanisms. Their daily flowering times are significantly different but overlap for 2.6 hours, during which they have good cross compatibility. They have common legitimate pollinators, but the visiting time doesn't overlap, and I. domestica's pollen quantity is depleted before I. dichotoma opens. Therefore, temporal isolation causes complete reproductive isolation, and flower structure difference also plays an important role in reproductive isolation.
SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Katherine Y. Barragan-Fonseca, Quint Rusman, Daan Mertens, Berhane T. Weldegergis, Joseph Peller, Gerrit Polder, Joop J. A. van Loon, Marcel Dicke
Summary: Soil composition and herbivory can affect plant traits, including flower traits, potentially influencing plant-pollinator interactions. We investigated the effects of insect exuviae as soil amendment and aboveground insect herbivory on Brassica nigra plants. Our findings showed that soil amendment increased flower quantity and volatile organic compound (VOC) emission, while herbivory reduced petal area and VOC emission. Furthermore, soil amendment and herbivory interacted in their effect on petal reflectance spectrum and VOC emission.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biology
Jennifer Walsh, Shawn M. Billerman, Bronwyn G. Butcher, Vanya G. Rohwer, David P. L. Toews, Vicens Vila-Coury, Irby J. Lovette
Summary: Genome-wide analyses of admixture between two closely related North American oriole species reveal longstanding barriers to reproductive isolation. This study provides insights into the mechanisms that facilitate and inhibit speciation using a hybrid zone between the Baltimore and Bullock's orioles. The findings highlight the complex interactions between pre- and post-mating barriers and the rapid accumulation of barriers between these species.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Diane R. Campbell, Mascha Bischoff, Robert A. Raguso, Heather M. Briggs, Paula Sosenski
Summary: Organismal traits influence fitness through interactions with multiple species, and there is non-linear selection during the selection process. By comparing different life cycle stages, we found that selection during pollination and seed predation differed in strength, with stronger directional and quadratic selection during seed initiation. Correlational selection mainly occurred during seed initiation, rather than arising from combining species interactions. These results highlight the importance of multispecies interactions in exerting selection on trait combinations.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
John M. Powers, Ann K. Sakai, Stephen G. Weller, Diane R. Campbell
Summary: Despite wind pollination and assumed loss of biotic pollination, Schiedea globosa exhibits diel and sex-based variation in floral scent. Interpopulation scent differences in males are correlated with genetic differences, suggesting that scent evolved with dispersal.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
John M. Powers, Heather M. Briggs, Rachel G. Dickson, Xinyu Li, Diane R. Campbell
Summary: Climate change can influence the expression of floral traits in plants, with reduced summer precipitation and earlier snow melt potentially leading to plastic responses in flower morphology and reproductive success. The interaction between snow melt timing and summer precipitation levels can affect traits such as corolla length, style length, and nectar production, with drier soil conditions during the flowering period playing a key role in driving trait plasticity. The combined effects of early snow melt and reduced precipitation are important factors driving phenotypic plasticity in plants, particularly in snow-dominated ecosystems.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Diane R. Campbell, Mary Price, Nickolas M. Waser, Rebecca E. Irwin, Alison K. Brody
Summary: Climate change can affect plant fitness and population persistence through both direct and indirect effects on biotic interactions. Pollination and seed predation are important biotic interactions that can impact plant growth, but their relative impact compared to direct climatic effects is still uncertain.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jocelyn Navarro, John M. Powers, Ayaka Paul, Diane R. Campbell
Summary: Plant traits can respond to climate change, but the plasticity of these traits can be adaptive or maladaptive. Reductions in summer precipitation lead to decreased stomatal conductance and intrinsic water-use efficiency, but increased leaf water content, while earlier snowmelt reduces soil moisture, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance, and increases trichome density and intrinsic water-use efficiency.
Article
Plant Sciences
Carolina Diller, Miguel Castaneda-Zarate, Steven D. Johnson
Summary: Honeybees are poor pollinators of Aloe ferox due to their deposition of low-quality self pollen, leading to decreased seed production. Lack of movement among individual honeybees during foraging is a likely explanation for this.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sam McCarren, Jeremy J. Midgley, Steven D. Johnson
Summary: This study explores the function of flower orientation and its adaptation to pollinator mouthparts. The results demonstrate that different long-proboscid fly families have an impact on flower orientation, which may serve as a mechanism for reproductive isolation among sympatric plant species.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lawrence D. Harder, Steven D. Johnson
Summary: The production of pollen and ovules varies with different mating systems in angiosperms. This study analyzed the associations between pollen-transfer efficiency, pollinator dependence, and differences in pollen and ovule numbers. The results showed that pollen number decreased with pollen-transfer efficiency, while ovule number did not significantly change.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Annemarie Heiduk, Irina Brake, Adam Shuttleworth, Steven D. Johnson
Summary: Kleptomyiophily is a specialized form of floral mimicry where flowers imitate wounded insects to attract kleptoparasitic flies as pollinators. In this study, Ceropegia gerrardii was found to chemically mimic injured honey bees to attract kleptoparasitic flies and reward them with a secretion similar to the haemolymph.
Article
Ecology
Hannah C. Butler, Steven D. Johnson
Summary: Most plants rely on animals to ingest their fruits and disperse their seeds, but some plants have fruits with seeds that are too large or toxic to be eaten. In this study, we investigated the seed dispersal of Haemanthus deformis, a lily species found in South Africa. We found that birds and rodents mainly consumed the fruits, removing the pulp and discarding the seeds. Dispersal occurred both within and among bush clumps, with longer distances achieved by birds and scatter-hoarding rodents. Seedling survival was highest in bush clumps with shade being important for survival. Seeds with removed pulp germinated faster than intact seeds. This plant shows directed seed dispersal with birds and rodents contributing to dispersal within favorable bush clumps.
Article
Plant Sciences
S. McCarren, S. D. Johnson, G. L. Theron, A. Coetzee, R. Turner, J. Midgley
Summary: Differences in floral traits might play a role in reproductive isolation between two Erica species in South Africa. The two sister species, Erica shannonea and Erica ampullacea, have overlapping flowering phenology but are pollinated by different species of flies due to differences in flower orientation. Both species require pollinator visits for seed production and are therefore potentially influenced by pollinators in flower evolution.
Article
Plant Sciences
J. C. F. Cardoso, S. D. Johnson, P. E. Oliveira
Summary: In many flowers, resupination plays a crucial role in pollination by positioning the flower upside down, and incomplete resupination is predicted to lead to reduced pollination.
Article
Biology
Steven D. Johnson, Lawrence D. Harder
Summary: The success of flowering plants in reproducing relies heavily on how efficiently pollen is removed from flowers and transferred to conspecific stigmas. This study analyzed pollen fates and their correlates for 228 species, revealing that the efficiency of pollen removal and transfer varied depending on the type of pollen-dispersal unit and the pollinator species involved. Factors such as nectar production also influenced pollen removal efficiency. These findings emphasize the important role of floral traits, particularly pollen packaging, in determining pollen dispersal outcomes and highlight the under-appreciated pollination efficiency of non-grooming pollinators.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Suiane Santos Oleques, Tamara Pastori, Tatiana Teixeira de Souza-Chies, Timotheus van der Niet, Steven D. Johnson, Rubem S. Avila Jr
Summary: Pollination in Tritoniopsis parviflora, a South African species, is studied due to its unique oil-producing ability and secretion of both floral oil and nectar. The research reveals temporal segregation in rewards offered by male and female flowers and suggests that the visits by nectar feeding and pollen-collecting bees may supplement seed production in the absence of oil bees.
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Clara de Vega, Chris J. Thorogood, Rafael G. Albaladejo, Franck Rakotonasolo, Nina Hobbhahn, Florent Martos, Priscilla M. Burgoyne, Steven D. Johnson
PLANTS PEOPLE PLANET
(2023)