The evolution of fruit colour: phylogeny, abiotic factors and the role of mutualists

Valenta, Kim; Kalbitzer, Urs; Razafimandimby, Diary; Omeja, Patrick A.; Ayasse, Manfred; Chapman, Colin A.; Nevo, Omer

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-32604-x

Cited by 50 publications

(57 citation statements)

References 56 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…Fruit colours affect attractiveness and detectability, with conspicuous colours that contrast against the background (red, black and purple) being more attractive to frugivorous birds, whereas dull‐coloured fruits (green, yellow, brown and pale‐orange) are often consumed by frugivorous mammals (Cazetta, Schaefer, & Galetti, 2009; Gautier‐Hion et al, 1985; Janson, 1983). Recent phylogenetic studies support seed‐dispersal syndromes as an adaptive outcome of plant–vertebrate interactions (Lomáscolo & Schaefer, 2010a; Nevo, Razafimandimby, et al, 2018; Valenta et al, 2018). For instance, fruit size and fruit colour of 64 fig species seem to have undergone correlated evolution as predicted by the seed‐dispersal syndrome hypothesis (Lomáscolo, Speranza, & Kimball, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Associated evolution of fruit size, fruit colour and spines in Neotropical palms

Nascimento

Guimarães

Onstein

et al. 2020

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Understanding how ecological interactions have shaped the evolutionary dynamics of species traits remains a challenge in evolutionary ecology. Combining trait evolution models and phylogenies, we analysed the evolution of characters associated with seed dispersal (fruit size and colour) and herbivory (spines) in Neotropical palms to infer the role of these opposing animal–plant interactions in driving evolutionary patterns. We found that the evolution of fruit colour and fruit size was associated in Neotropical palms, supporting the adaptive interpretation of seed‐dispersal syndromes and highlighting the role of frugivores in shaping plant evolution. Furthermore, we revealed a positive association between fruit size and the presence of spines on palm leaves, bracteas and stems. We hypothesize that interactions between palms and large‐bodied frugivores/herbivores may explain the evolutionary relationship between fruit size and spines. Large‐bodied frugivores, such as extinct megafauna, besides consuming the fruits and dispersing large seeds, may also have consumed the leaves or damaged the plants, thus simultaneously favouring the evolution of large fruits and defensive structures. Our findings show how current trait patterns can be understood as the result of the interplay between antagonistic and mutualistic interactions that have happened throughout the evolutionary history of a clade.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Associated evolution of fruit size, fruit colour and spines in Neotropical palms

Nascimento

Guimarães

Onstein

et al. 2020

J of Evolutionary Biology

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“…In addition to characteristics which directly enhance fruit quality from the perspective of the frugivore, some fruit traits have evolved as signals which help animals detect, identify, and select ripe fruits. Fruits whose seeds are dispersed by different animals tend to be differently colored (Lomáscolo & Schaefer, ; Valenta et al, ), and there is evidence that fruit color is under selection to increase color contrasts with background foliage to render fruits more visually conspicuous (Lomáscolo & Schaefer, ; Nevo, Valenta, et al, ; Schaefer, Valido, & Jordano, ). Similarly, fruit scent—the volatile chemicals emitted by ripe fruits—plays a role in frugivore–plant interactions (Nevo & Ayasse, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Signal and reward in wild fleshy fruits: Does fruit scent predict nutrient content?

Nevo

Razafimandimby

Valenta

et al. 2019

Ecology and Evolution

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Plant species with fleshy fruits offer animals rewards such as sugar, protein, and fat, to feed on their fruits and disperse their seeds. They have also evolved visual and olfactory signals indicating their presence and ripeness. In some systems, fruit color serves as a reliable visual signal of nutrient content. Yet even though many volatile chemicals used as olfactory signals derive from nutrients animals seek, it is still unknown whether fruit scent encodes information regarding nutrient content in wild fruits. We examine the relationship between olfactory signals and nutrient rewards in 28 fruiting plant species in Madagascar. We measured the relative amounts of four chemical classes in fruit scent using gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, as well as the relative amounts of sugar and protein in fruit pulp. We found that protein levels are not associated with elevated amounts of chemically related volatile compounds in fruit scent. In contrast, sugar content is strongly associated with the chemical composition of fruit scent. To our knowledge, this is the first research to explore the connection between fruit chemical signals and nutrient rewards. Our results imply that in the case of sugar, fruit scent is predictive of nutrient content and hence an honest signal.

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“…Five species were removed from the data set: four had fruits >130 mm in length (and were treated as outliers), and for one species no information for fruit size and colour was available. Given that the colour and size of fleshy fruits is a focus of this study, and previous research has emphasized the potential for different evolutionary outcomes for fruit and flower colour and size (Renoult et al, ; Schaefer et al, , ; Stournaras et al, ; Valenta et al, ; Whitney, ), we used the reduced data set ( n = 1,125 species) for direct comparison of these fruit and flower traits, and we used the full data set ( n = 2,237 species) to assign flower colour overall. The total number of species included throughout the fruit and flower database was 2,248 species (belonging to 133 families).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary constraints and adaptation shape the size and colour of rain forest fruits and flowers at continental scale

Delmas

Kooyman

Rossetto

2020

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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Aim Large‐scale patterns in flower and fruit traits provide crucial insights into selection processes and the evolutionary history of plant lineages. To isolate and identify the role of selective pressures, including different plant–animal interactions and the factors driving trait evolution, we investigated the convergence and divergence between flower and fruit traits in shared environments. Location Australia to Southeast Asia. Time period Eocene (c. 45 Ma) to present. Major taxa studied Woody angiosperm rain forest species (2,248 species, 133 families). Methods Using a continental‐scale data set for all woody angiosperm species in the Australian rain forest (1,816 free‐standing and 432 climbing species), we compared the colour and size of fleshy fruits and flowers in relationship to life‐form (trees/shrubs and vines), species biogeographical histories and origins (Sunda versus Sahul) and bioregional distributions. Results Fleshy fruits in the Australian rain forest are mostly small, with a diversity of colours (<30 mm; 81%), and the flowers are mostly small (<10 mm; 65%) and whitish (c. 80%). Compared with trees and shrubs, climbing species showed a higher proportion of red fleshy fruits and large coloured flowers. Small whitish flowers were dominant across lineages from different biogeographical origins (Sunda and Sahul) and geographical regions, and both small and large fleshy fruits retained a range of disperser‐attractant colours. Main conclusions Continental‐scale size and colour characteristics of flowers and fleshy fruits differed despite sharing environments with similar abiotic selective pressures through time. Plant–animal interactions, including pollination and dispersal, are likely to mediate different evolutionary outcomes for plant traits and reflect both adaptation and evolutionary constraints.

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The evolution of fruit colour: phylogeny, abiotic factors and the role of mutualists

Cited by 50 publications

References 56 publications

Associated evolution of fruit size, fruit colour and spines in Neotropical palms

Associated evolution of fruit size, fruit colour and spines in Neotropical palms

Signal and reward in wild fleshy fruits: Does fruit scent predict nutrient content?

Evolutionary constraints and adaptation shape the size and colour of rain forest fruits and flowers at continental scale

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