1365-2745.13636.pdf (1.21 MB)
Rapid evolution of a floral trait following acquisition of novel pollinators
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 23:33 authored by Christopher Mackin, Julián F Peña, Mario A Blanco, Nicholas BalfourNicholas Balfour, Maria Clara CastellanosMaria Clara CastellanosChanges in the pollinator assemblage visiting a plant can have consequences for reproductive success and floral evolution. We studied a recent plant trans-continental range expansion to test whether the acquisition of new pollinator functional groups can lead to rapid adaptive evolution of flowers. In Digitalis purpurea, we compared flower visitors, floral traits and natural selection between native European populations and those in two Neotropical regions, naturalised after independent introductions. Bumblebees are the main pollinators in native populations while both bumblebees and hummingbirds are important visitors in the new range. We confirmed that the birds are effective pollinators and deposit more pollen grains on stigmas than bumblebees. We found convergent changes in the two new regions towards larger proximal corolla tubes, a floral trait that restricts access to nectar to visitors with long mouthparts. There was a strong positive linear selection for this trait in the introduced populations, particularly on the length of the proximal corolla tube, consistent with the addition of hummingbirds as pollinators. Synthesis. The addition of new pollinators is likely to happen often as humans influence the ranges of plants and pollinators but it is also a common feature in the long-term evolution of the angiosperms. We show how novel selection followed by very rapid evolutionary change can be an important force behind the extraordinary diversity of flowers
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Journal of EcologyISSN
0022-0477Publisher
WileyExternal DOI
Page range
1-13Department affiliated with
- Evolution, Behaviour and Environment Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2021-04-13First Open Access (FOA) Date
2021-04-13First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2021-04-13Usage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC