Nicotiana attenuata flowers, diurnally open,emit scents and move vertically to interact with nocturnal hawkmoth and day-active hummingbird pollinators. To examine the fitness consequences of these floral rhythms, we c...Nicotiana attenuata flowers, diurnally open,emit scents and move vertically to interact with nocturnal hawkmoth and day-active hummingbird pollinators. To examine the fitness consequences of these floral rhythms, we conducted pollination trials in the plant’s native habitat with phase-shifted flowers of plants silenced in circadian clock genes. The results revealed that some pollination benefits observed under glasshouse conditions were not reproduced under natural field conditions. Floral arrhythmicity increased pollination success by hummingbirds, while reducing those by hawkmoths in the field. Thus, floral circadian rhythms may influence a plant’s fitness by filtering pollinators leading to altered seed set from outcrossed pollen.展开更多
Flowers are required for the Darwinian fitness of flowering plants, but flowers＇ advertisements for pollination services can attract florivores. Previous glasshouse work with Nicotiana attenuata revealed the role of ...Flowers are required for the Darwinian fitness of flowering plants, but flowers＇ advertisements for pollination services can attract florivores. Previous glasshouse work with Nicotiana attenuata revealed the role of jasmonate （JA） signaling in flower development, advertisement and defense. However, whether JA signaling mediates flowers＇ filtering of floral visitors in nature remained unknown. This field study revealed that silencing JA signaling resulted in flowers that produce less nectar and benzyl acetone, two pollinatorattractive traits. Meanwhile, flowers of defenseless plants were highly attacked by a suite of native herbivores, and damage to buds in native plants correlated negatively with their JA-lle levels.展开更多
基金supported by European Research Council advanced grant Clockwork Green(No.293926)to I.T.B.the Global Research Lab program(2012055546)from South Koreathe Max Planck Society
文摘Nicotiana attenuata flowers, diurnally open,emit scents and move vertically to interact with nocturnal hawkmoth and day-active hummingbird pollinators. To examine the fitness consequences of these floral rhythms, we conducted pollination trials in the plant’s native habitat with phase-shifted flowers of plants silenced in circadian clock genes. The results revealed that some pollination benefits observed under glasshouse conditions were not reproduced under natural field conditions. Floral arrhythmicity increased pollination success by hummingbirds, while reducing those by hawkmoths in the field. Thus, floral circadian rhythms may influence a plant’s fitness by filtering pollinators leading to altered seed set from outcrossed pollen.
基金supported by the Max Planck Society,the European Research Council advanced grant Clockwork Green(293926)to I.T.B.by a Humboldt Postdoctoral Research Fellowship to R.L
文摘Flowers are required for the Darwinian fitness of flowering plants, but flowers＇ advertisements for pollination services can attract florivores. Previous glasshouse work with Nicotiana attenuata revealed the role of jasmonate （JA） signaling in flower development, advertisement and defense. However, whether JA signaling mediates flowers＇ filtering of floral visitors in nature remained unknown. This field study revealed that silencing JA signaling resulted in flowers that produce less nectar and benzyl acetone, two pollinatorattractive traits. Meanwhile, flowers of defenseless plants were highly attacked by a suite of native herbivores, and damage to buds in native plants correlated negatively with their JA-lle levels.
