Selective Pressures Explain Differences in Flower Color among Gentiana lutea Populations

Sobral, Mar; Veiga, Tania; P, Domínguez; Guitián, Javier; Guitián, Pablo; Guitián, José

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0132522

Cited by 45 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…For example, pollinator preference for specific flower colors can reinforce reproductive isolation between sister species (Hopkins & Rausher, , ). Furthermore, spatial variation in pollinator communities can contribute to local adaptation and genetically based clines in flower color (Streisfeld & Kohn, ; Sobral et al ., ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Ecological causes and consequences of flower color polymorphism in a self‐pollinating plant (Boechera stricta)

et al. 2018

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Intraspecific variation in flower color is often attributed to pollinator-mediated selection, yet this mechanism cannot explain flower color polymorphisms in self-pollinating species. Indirect selection mediated via biotic and abiotic stresses could maintain flower color variation in these systems. The selfing forb, Boechera stricta, typically displays white flowers, but some individuals produce purple flowers. We quantified environmental correlates of flower color in natural populations. To disentangle plasticity from genotypic variation, we performed a multiyear field experiment in five gardens. In controlled conditions, we evaluated herbivore preferences and the effects of drought stress and soil pH on flower color expression. In natural populations, purple-flowered individuals experienced lower foliar herbivory than did their white-flowered counterparts. This pattern also held in the common gardens. Additionally, low-elevation environments induced pigmented flowers (plasticity), and the likelihood of floral pigmentation decreased with source elevation of maternal families (genetic cline). Viability selection favored families with pigmented flowers. In the laboratory, herbivores exerted greater damage on tissue derived from white- vs purple-flowered individuals. Furthermore, drought induced pigmentation in white-flowered lineages, and white-flowered plants had a fecundity advantage in the well-watered control. Flower color variation in selfing species is probably maintained by herbivory, drought stress, and other abiotic factors that vary spatially.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Ecological causes and consequences of flower color polymorphism in a self‐pollinating plant (Boechera stricta)

et al. 2018

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“…However, we found no evidence of local adaptation of yellow-flowering plants to the original population since the number of bumblebee visits was similar to the orange-flowering transplants in Pontón. This result differs from previous ones, indicating that flower color among G. lutea populations is related to selective pressures exerted by pollinators (Sobral et al, 2015). (Price et al, 2005), even different plant populations that share the same pollinator group receive different proportions of flower visits from each species or functional group (Fenster et al, 2004;Tastard et al, 2014).…”

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confidence: 94%

“…The fruit is an ovoid capsule, holding elliptic and winged seeds of 5 3-4 mm (Renobales, 2012). This species is a generalist that needs pollinators to seed production, being mainly pollinated by bumblebees (see Veiga et al, 2015;Sobral et al, 2015).…”

Section: Plant Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…aurantiaca (Renobales, 2012). Previous studies conclude that: (i) G. lutea flower color variation does not result from adaptation to environmental factors, such are elevation, temperature, radiation and precipitation (Veiga et al, 2016); (ii) G. lutea is strongly dependent on pollinators, and a positive relationship exists between the number of visits and the number of seeds produced (Losada et al, 2015); (iii) there is a partial hybridization barrier between G. lutea color morphs (Losada et al, 2015); and (iv) pollinator community composition vary between populations causing different selective pressures (Veiga et al, 2015;Sobral et al, 2015). In order to determine whether G. lutea populations are locally adapted to the pollinator community, we evaluate the effect of the local or foreign morphs on pollinator visitation rate by means reciprocal transplants in two Gentiana populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supplemental Information 1: Raw Data

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Background. The adaptive maintenance of flower color variation is frequently attributed to pollinators in part because they preferentially visit certain flower phenotypes. We test whether Gentiana lutea -which shows a flower color variation (from orange to yellow) in the Cantabrian Mountains range (north of Spain) − is locally adapted to the pollinator community.Methods. We transplant orange-flowering individuals to a population with yellow-flowering individuals and vice-versa, to assess whether there is a pollination advantage in the local morph comparing its visitation rate with the foreign morph.Results. Our reciprocal transplant experiment showed no clear signal of local morph advantage at one site; thus, there is no evidence of local adaptation in Gentiana lutea to the pollinator assemblage. However, some floral visitor groups (such as Bombus pratorum, B. soroensis ancaricus and B. lapidarius decipiens) consistently preferred the local morph to the foreign morph whereas others (such as Bombus terrestris) consistently preferred the foreign morph.Discussion. We concluded that there is no evidence of local adaptation to the pollinator community in each of the two G. lutea populations studied. The consequences for local adaptation to pollinator on G. lutea flower color would depend on the variation along the Cantabrian Mountains range in morph frequency and pollinator community composition.

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“…Previous studies have investigated ecological interactions in the same populations (Rossi et al , ) and karyological features of the studied subspecies (Rossi et al ). Recently, several authors have studied the occurrence of different colour morphs in Spanish populations of G. lutea , and they found that pollinators and predators, but not abiotic factors, act as selective agents on flower colours (Sobral et al , Veiga et al , ). However, we did not encounter plants with different floral phenotypes in our study populations.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of pollination mode on seed performance of Gentiana lutea: a laboratory evaluation of seed germinability

Rossi

Fisogni

Galloni

2016

Nordic Journal of Botany

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Gentiana lutea L. (yellow gentian, Gentianaceae) is a protected orophyte of central and southern Europe, mainly threatened by the uncontrolled collection of its rhizome, used in traditional medicine and for liquor production. The species is selfcompatible, but outcrossing mediated by pollinators is needed to obtain a viable progeny. In this study, we considered five natural populations belonging to the four subspecies of G. lutea. We performed controlled pollinations in the field (self-versus cross-pollination) followed by seed germination tests in laboratory conditions, adding a solution of gibberellic acid, in order to evaluate the seed performance. A cumulative index of inbreeding depression was calculated considering maternal reproductive output as well as seed performance traits. Seed weight and seed germination performance was similar between seeds resulting from naturally pollinated and pollen-augmented flowers and higher compared to selfed flowers, highlighting a disadvantage of selfing and the importance of cross-pollen transfer in natural conditions. However, in the small and isolated population of G. lutea subsp. symphyandra on Mt Grande we found a general reduction in seed germination rate, likely due to increased selfing or mating among close relatives as a consequence of a severe bottleneck. We discuss our results with regards to implications for conservation practices.

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Selective Pressures Explain Differences in Flower Color among Gentiana lutea Populations

Cited by 45 publications

References 43 publications

Ecological causes and consequences of flower color polymorphism in a self‐pollinating plant (Boechera stricta)

Ecological causes and consequences of flower color polymorphism in a self‐pollinating plant (Boechera stricta)

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The effect of pollination mode on seed performance of Gentiana lutea: a laboratory evaluation of seed germinability

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