Pollinator shifts drive petal epidermal evolution on the Macaronesian Islands bird-flowered species

Ojeda, Darío I.; Valido, Alfredo; Castro, Alejandro G. Fernández de; Ortega‐Olivencia, Ana; Aguilar, Javier Fuertes; Carvalho, José A. de Freitas; Santos‐Guerra, Arnoldo

doi:10.1098/rsbl.2016.0022

Cited by 25 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Finally, the area of the spots did not exhibit different morphology from the rest of the corolla. The tabular cells observed from cross-sections were similar to those reported previously in S. trifoliata (Ojeda et al 2016). According to these authors petal micromorphology is a labile trait during pollinator shifts.…”

Section: Corolla Spotssupporting

confidence: 87%

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Confirmed mixed bird–insect pollination system of Scrophularia trifoliata L., a Tyrrhenian species with corolla spots

et al. 2017

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Both bird and mixed vertebrate-insect (MVI) pollination systems are very rare in Europe and the Mediterranean region. Because MVI can ensure reproduction over a wider range of environmental conditions than when insects are the sole pollinators, under certain circumstances such systems are highly advantageous to plants. Here, we investigated the pollination and some reproductive traits of the Tyrrhenian Scrophularia trifoliata, the only species of the genus possessing two showy dark spots inside the corolla, for which MVI pollination system had been inferred on the basis of limited censuses. We conducted field experiments to study MVI pollination and some reproductive traits and elucidate the role of corolla spots, analysing their ultraviolet pattern, histology and pigments versus the rest of the corolla. The primary pollinators were wasps and passerine birds. Corolla spots absorb UV light, present abundant anthocyanins and are histologically identical to the rest of the corolla. Control flowers had higher visitation frequency than flowers without spots. S. trifoliata is self-compatible, with efficient intrafloral protogyny and herkogamy that prevent self-pollination but not geitonogamy. We confirmed the existence of a mixed bird-insect pollination system in S. trifoliata. This system is found in three other Scrophularia species with large, showy flowers - two Mediterranean (S. grandiflora and S. sambucifolia) and one Macaronesian (S. calliantha). Unlike those species, S. trifoliata has two large spots inside the corolla. These likely operate as nectar guides and their dark colouration is related to abundant anthocyanin content.

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Section: Corolla Spotssupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The tabular cells observed from cross‐sections were similar to those reported previously in S. trifoliata (Ojeda et al . ). According to these authors petal micromorphology is a labile trait during pollinator shifts.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Confirmed mixed bird–insect pollination system of Scrophularia trifoliata L., a Tyrrhenian species with corolla spots

et al. 2017

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“…Consequently, there is an absence of plant species typically associated with these pollinator groups, and shifts in reproductive traits to become more generalised have been observed (Inoue, ). Similar patterns have been found in Macaronesia (Ojeda et al ., ), Antillean Islands (Martén‐Rodríguez et al ., ), among others (for example New Zealand, Juan Fernandez, Hawai'i, Mascarenes) suggesting that a shift to generalised pollination syndromes is common among island floras (Olesen & Valido, ).…”

Section: Functional Disharmonymentioning

confidence: 99%

Island disharmony revisited using orchids as a model group

et al. 2019

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Summary One central concept in island biology is that island assemblages form subsets of the mainland species pool, being disproportionately rich or poor in certain taxonomic groups. This unbalanced composition, termed ‘disharmony’, is generally explained using a taxon‐centred approach, linking the over‐ or under‐representation of taxa to their colonisation abilities. However, islands may also harbour ‘functionally’ disharmonic flora, being disproportionately rich or poor in species with certain traits, which may offer greater insights into the processes driving island colonisation. Here, we use orchids as a model to illustrate key processes involved in the formation of functionally disharmonic island floras, including filtering effects (for example biotic interactions), and speciation. Our synthesis is based on a comprehensive orchid dataset of 27 637 species and combines both a literature review and simple exploratory analyses to show that orchids are significantly under‐represented on islands relative to mainland regions and that insular orchids display shifts in functional traits, from the shortening of nectar spurs to facilitate ornithophily to changes in colour associated with generalist insect pollinators. We highlight that taxa are simply coarse proxies and that we need to consider species traits and interactions to gain a full understanding of the processes constraining plant assembly on islands.

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“…Several recent reports have shown that some flowers manipulate pollinators by selective loss of these cells. Ojeda et al (2016) analysed petal epidermal micromorphology for plants on the Macaronesian islands, and found that, in all five independent cases of transition to bird pollination, conical epidermal cells were lost. This evolutionary change is postulated to minimize nectar robbing by insects, by making the petal surface more slippery.…”

Section: Conical Cells Grip and Slipmentioning

confidence: 99%

The physics of pollinator attraction

Moyroud

Glover

2016

New Phytologist

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Contents 350 I. 350 II. 350 III. 352 IV. 353 V. 353 353 References 354 SUMMARY: This Tansley Insight focuses on recent advances in our understanding of how flowers manipulate physical forces to attract animal pollinators and ensure reproductive success. Research has traditionally explored the role of chemical pigments and volatile organic compounds as cues for pollinators, but recent reports have demonstrated the importance of physical and structural means of pollinator attraction. Here we explore the role of petal microstructure in influencing floral light capture and optics, analysing colour, gloss and polarization effects. We discuss the interaction between flower, pollinator and gravity, and how petal surface structure can influence that interaction. Finally, we consider the role of electrostatic forces in pollen transfer and pollinator attraction. We conclude that this new interdisciplinary field is evolving rapidly.

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Pollinator shifts drive petal epidermal evolution on the Macaronesian Islands bird-flowered species

Cited by 25 publications

References 19 publications

Confirmed mixed bird–insect pollination system of Scrophularia trifoliata L., a Tyrrhenian species with corolla spots

Confirmed mixed bird–insect pollination system of Scrophularia trifoliata L., a Tyrrhenian species with corolla spots

Island disharmony revisited using orchids as a model group

The physics of pollinator attraction

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