Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae)
ABSTRACT Interaction with pollinators has been proposed as one of the most important factors shaping the diversity of flowering plants. Spatial variation in the directions of the selective pressure exerted by pollinators drives the evolution of adaptive differentiation. Across‐population studies of...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71265 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850119815981694976 |
|---|---|
| author | Katarzyna Roguz Paweł Pstrokoński Justyna Ryniewicz Magdalena Chmur Andrzej Bajguz Yuval Sapir |
| author_facet | Katarzyna Roguz Paweł Pstrokoński Justyna Ryniewicz Magdalena Chmur Andrzej Bajguz Yuval Sapir |
| author_sort | Katarzyna Roguz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Interaction with pollinators has been proposed as one of the most important factors shaping the diversity of flowering plants. Spatial variation in the directions of the selective pressure exerted by pollinators drives the evolution of adaptive differentiation. Across‐population studies of flower traits and plant–pollinator interaction are therefore an important step to understanding the diverse selective pressures that drive floral evolution in zoogamous angiosperms. Here we combine observational data and field experiments to describe the assemblages of pollinators, breeding systems, and reward properties in studied populations of the Middle East geophyte, Fritillaria persica. Natural populations of this species include two floral color morphs with greenish or purple flowers; in both morphs, the nectaries of the outer whorl are covered by the tepals of the inner one. Our study documented geographical variation in the pollination system of two color morphs of F. persica. Visitors recorded in both populations were similar qualitatively; however, their contribution varied. Nectar sugar concentration and profile were generally constant in studied populations; we recorded differences only in nectar volume and concentration of amino acids. These results suggest that the observed variation in nectar production is likely to be a result of environmental factors rather than pollinator‐mediated selection. In the context of reward, we also tested how uncovering the hidden nectar reward from outer tepals influences potential pollinators. Uncovering hidden reward did not change the time spent in one flower or inflorescence penetration; however, it increased the number of seeds produced. Nectar properties and the pollinator assemblages similarity suggest that in the context of pollination, F. persica represents a rather generalistic strategy, and observed differences may be caused by abiotic factors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-92bd284660da4cf1b6b31f7bb514834f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-92bd284660da4cf1b6b31f7bb514834f2025-08-20T02:35:33ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-04-01154n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71265Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae)Katarzyna Roguz0Paweł Pstrokoński1Justyna Ryniewicz2Magdalena Chmur3Andrzej Bajguz4Yuval Sapir5Botanic Garden Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw PolandDepartment of Animal Breeding Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences Warsaw PolandBotanic Garden Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw Warsaw PolandDepartment of Plant Biochemistry and Toxicology Institute of Biology, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bialystok Bialystok PolandDepartment of Plant Biochemistry and Toxicology Institute of Biology, Faculty of Biology and Chemistry, University of Bialystok Bialystok PolandYehuda Naftali Botanic Garden School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv IsraelABSTRACT Interaction with pollinators has been proposed as one of the most important factors shaping the diversity of flowering plants. Spatial variation in the directions of the selective pressure exerted by pollinators drives the evolution of adaptive differentiation. Across‐population studies of flower traits and plant–pollinator interaction are therefore an important step to understanding the diverse selective pressures that drive floral evolution in zoogamous angiosperms. Here we combine observational data and field experiments to describe the assemblages of pollinators, breeding systems, and reward properties in studied populations of the Middle East geophyte, Fritillaria persica. Natural populations of this species include two floral color morphs with greenish or purple flowers; in both morphs, the nectaries of the outer whorl are covered by the tepals of the inner one. Our study documented geographical variation in the pollination system of two color morphs of F. persica. Visitors recorded in both populations were similar qualitatively; however, their contribution varied. Nectar sugar concentration and profile were generally constant in studied populations; we recorded differences only in nectar volume and concentration of amino acids. These results suggest that the observed variation in nectar production is likely to be a result of environmental factors rather than pollinator‐mediated selection. In the context of reward, we also tested how uncovering the hidden nectar reward from outer tepals influences potential pollinators. Uncovering hidden reward did not change the time spent in one flower or inflorescence penetration; however, it increased the number of seeds produced. Nectar properties and the pollinator assemblages similarity suggest that in the context of pollination, F. persica represents a rather generalistic strategy, and observed differences may be caused by abiotic factors.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71265 |
| spellingShingle | Katarzyna Roguz Paweł Pstrokoński Justyna Ryniewicz Magdalena Chmur Andrzej Bajguz Yuval Sapir Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae) Ecology and Evolution |
| title | Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae) |
| title_full | Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae) |
| title_fullStr | Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae) |
| title_short | Environment or Pollinators? Factors Shaping Breeding System and Spatial Variation in Nectar Properties and Pollination System in a Desert Species Fritillaria persica L. (Liliaceae) |
| title_sort | environment or pollinators factors shaping breeding system and spatial variation in nectar properties and pollination system in a desert species fritillaria persica l liliaceae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71265 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT katarzynaroguz environmentorpollinatorsfactorsshapingbreedingsystemandspatialvariationinnectarpropertiesandpollinationsysteminadesertspeciesfritillariapersicalliliaceae AT pawełpstrokonski environmentorpollinatorsfactorsshapingbreedingsystemandspatialvariationinnectarpropertiesandpollinationsysteminadesertspeciesfritillariapersicalliliaceae AT justynaryniewicz environmentorpollinatorsfactorsshapingbreedingsystemandspatialvariationinnectarpropertiesandpollinationsysteminadesertspeciesfritillariapersicalliliaceae AT magdalenachmur environmentorpollinatorsfactorsshapingbreedingsystemandspatialvariationinnectarpropertiesandpollinationsysteminadesertspeciesfritillariapersicalliliaceae AT andrzejbajguz environmentorpollinatorsfactorsshapingbreedingsystemandspatialvariationinnectarpropertiesandpollinationsysteminadesertspeciesfritillariapersicalliliaceae AT yuvalsapir environmentorpollinatorsfactorsshapingbreedingsystemandspatialvariationinnectarpropertiesandpollinationsysteminadesertspeciesfritillariapersicalliliaceae |