Bishop Sasha G D, Chang Shu-Mei, Baucom Regina S
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, United States.
Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, United States.
Evol Lett. 2023 Mar 8;7(2):88-98. doi: 10.1093/evlett/qrad006. eCollection 2023 Apr 1.
Contemporary anthropogenic changes in climate and landscape form a complex set of selective pressures acting on natural systems, yet, in many systems, we lack information about both whether and how organisms may adapt to these changes. In plants, research has focused on climate-induced changes in phenology and the resultant potential for disruption of plant-pollinator interactions, however, there remains a paucity of knowledge regarding how other pollinator-mediated traits may be involved in the adaptive response. Here, we use resurrection experiments to investigate the phenotypic basis of adaptation in a mixed-mating system plant, the common morning glory (). Specifically, we measure temporal and spatial changes in traits grouped into three categories relevant to plant-pollinator interactions - floral morphology, floral rewards, and floral phenology. We show a significant temporal increase in corolla size and shift to earlier flowering times, as well as a potential for increased investment in floral rewards, all of which are driven primarily by populations at more northern latitudes. Additionally, we find evidence for directional selection on floral morphology and phenology and evidence of balancing selection acting on anther-stigma distance. Overall, these results show an adaptive response in line with greater investment in pollinator attraction rather than self-pollination and fine-scale spatial differences in adaptive potential.
当代气候和景观的人为变化构成了作用于自然系统的一系列复杂选择压力,然而,在许多系统中,我们既缺乏关于生物体是否以及如何适应这些变化的信息。在植物方面,研究主要集中在气候引起的物候变化以及由此导致的植物与传粉者相互作用中断的可能性上,然而,关于其他传粉者介导的性状如何参与适应性反应,仍然缺乏相关知识。在这里,我们利用复活实验来研究一种混合交配系统植物——普通牵牛花()适应的表型基础。具体来说,我们测量了与植物 - 传粉者相互作用相关的三类性状的时间和空间变化——花的形态、花的报酬和花期物候。我们发现花冠大小随时间显著增加,花期提前,以及花的报酬投资有增加的趋势,所有这些主要是由更靠北纬度地区的种群驱动的。此外,我们发现了对花的形态和物候进行定向选择的证据,以及对花药 - 柱头距离进行平衡选择的证据。总体而言,这些结果显示出一种适应性反应,即对传粉者吸引而非自花授粉有更大的投入,以及适应性潜力的精细尺度空间差异。