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Zhang P, Xie Y, Xie W, Li L, Zhang H, Duan X, Zhang R, Guo L. Roles of the APETALA3-3 ortholog in the petal identity specification and morphological differentiation in Delphinium anthriscifolium flowers. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhae097. [PMID: 38855416 PMCID: PMC11161261 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
The genus Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) with its unique and highly complex floral structure is an ideal system to address some key questions in terms of morphological and evolutionary studies in flowers. In D. anthriscifolium, for example, the original eight petal primordia differentiate into three types at maturity (i.e., two dorsal spurred, two lateral flat, and four ventral reduced petals). The mechanisms underlying their identity determination and morphological differentiation remain unclear. Here, through a comprehensive approach combining digital gene expression (DGE) profiles, in situ hybridization, and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), we explore the role of the APETALLATA3-3 (AP3-3) ortholog in D. anthriscifolium. Our findings reveal that the DeanAP3-3 not only functions as a traditionally known petal identity gene but also plays a critical role in petal morphological differentiation. The DeanAP3-3 gene is expressed in all the petal primordia before their morphological differentiation at earlier stages, but shows a gradient expression level difference along the dorsventral floral axis, with higher expression level in the dorsal spurred petals, intermediate level in the lateral flat petals and lower level in the ventral reduced petals. VIGS experiments revealed that flowers with strong phenotypic changes showed a complete transformation of all the three types of petals into non-spurred sepals. However, in the flowers with moderate phenotypic changes, the transformation of spurred petals into flat petals is associated with moderate silencing of the DeanAP3-3 gene, suggesting a significant impact of expression level on petal morphological differentiation. This research also shed some insights into the role of changes in gene expression levels on morphological differentiation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanru Xie
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Wenjie Xie
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Li Li
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Hanghang Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoshan Duan
- College of Forestry, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
| | - Liping Guo
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100 Shaanxi, China
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Huang YB, Qi ZC, Feng JY, Ge BJ, Huang CZ, Feng YQ, Wu J, Wei PR, Ito T, Kokubugata G, Li P, Wei YK. Salvia guidongensis sp. nov.: unraveling a critical evolutionary link in East Asian Salvia from Central China integrating morphology, phylogeny, and plastid genomics. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1332443. [PMID: 38504896 PMCID: PMC10948445 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1332443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Salvia L., representing the largest genus within the mint family, is noted for its global distribution of approximately 1000 species, with East Asia, and particularly China, recognized as a critical center of diversity for the genus. Methods Our research was conducted through extensive fieldwork in Guidong County, Hunan Province, China, where we identified a previously undescribed species of Salvia. The identification process involved detailed morphological observations, phylogenetic analyses, and plastid genomics. Results The newly discovered species, Salvia guidongensis, exhibits unique characteristics not commonly observed in the East Asian lineage of Salvia, including dual floral colors within natural populations-either pale purple or pale yellow. Morphologically, while it shares similarities with members of sect. Glutinaria, S. guidongensis is distinct in its floral morphology, stature, and specific foliar traits. Phylogenetic analysis places S. guidongensis in a unique clade within the East Asian lineage of Salvia, suggesting it may serve as an important evolutionary link. Additionally, we explored the plastome features of S. guidongensis, comparing them with those of closely related species. Discussion The discovery of S. guidongensis not only entriches the taxonomic tapestry of Salvia but also provides critical insights into the biogeography and evolutionary pathways of the genus in East Asia. By integrating morphological and molecular data, we validate the novel status of S. guidongensis and highlight its significance in bridging taxonomic and evolutionary gaps within Sect. Glutinaria of Salvia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Bo Huang
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhe-Chen Qi
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metabolism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie-Ying Feng
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metabolism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bin-Jie Ge
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Yu-Qing Feng
- Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Plant Secondary Metabolism and Regulation, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Laboratory of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany and Biodiversity, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Pu-Rui Wei
- East China Survey and Planning Institute of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Hangzhou, China
| | - Takuro Ito
- Tohoku University Botanical Gardens, 12-2 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi, Japan
| | - Goro Kokubugata
- Department of Botany, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Pan Li
- Laboratory of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany and Biodiversity, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Kun Wei
- Eastern China Conservation Centre for Wild Endangered Plant Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Centre of Sustainable Plant Innovation, Shanghai Botanical Garden, Shanghai, China
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Vaudo AD, Dyer LA, Leonard AS. Pollen nutrition structures bee and plant community interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2317228120. [PMID: 38190523 PMCID: PMC10801918 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317228120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
As bees' main source of protein and lipids, pollen is critical for their development, reproduction, and health. Plant species vary considerably in the macronutrient content of their pollen, and research in bee model systems has established that this variation both modulates performance and guides floral choice. Yet, how variation in pollen chemistry shapes interactions between plants and bees in natural communities is an open question, essential for both understanding the nutritional dynamics of plant-pollinator mutualisms and informing their conservation. To fill this gap, we asked how pollen nutrition (relative protein and lipid content) sampled from 109 co-flowering plant species structured visitation patterns observed among 75 subgenera of pollen-collecting bees in the Great Basin/Eastern Sierra region (USA). We found that the degree of similarity in co-flowering plant species' pollen nutrition predicted similarity among their visitor communities, even after accounting for floral morphology and phylogeny. Consideration of pollen nutrition also shed light on the structure of this interaction network: Bee subgenera and plant genera were arranged into distinct, interconnected groups, delineated by differences in pollen macronutrient values, revealing potential nutritional niches. Importantly, variation in pollen nutrition alone (high in protein, high in lipid, or balanced) did not predict the diversity of bee visitors, indicating that plant species offering complementary pollen nutrition may be equally valuable in supporting bee diversity. Nutritional diversity should thus be a key consideration when selecting plants for habitat restoration, and a nutritionally explicit perspective is needed when considering reward systems involved in the community ecology of pollination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony D. Vaudo
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV89557
- Rocky Mountain Research Station, United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Moscow, ID83843
| | - Lee A. Dyer
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV89557
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Leclercq N, Marshall L, Weekers T, Basu P, Benda D, Bevk D, Bhattacharya R, Bogusch P, Bontšutšnaja A, Bortolotti L, Cabirol N, Calderón-Uraga E, Carvalho R, Castro S, Chatterjee S, De La Cruz Alquicira M, de Miranda JR, Dirilgen T, Dorchin A, Dorji K, Drepper B, Flaminio S, Gailis J, Galloni M, Gaspar H, Gikungu MW, Hatteland BA, Hinojosa-Diaz I, Hostinská L, Howlett BG, Hung KLJ, Hutchinson L, Jesus RO, Karklina N, Khan MS, Loureiro J, Men X, Molenberg JM, Mudri-Stojnić S, Nikolic P, Normandin E, Osterman J, Ouyang F, Oygarden AS, Ozolina-Pole L, Ozols N, Parra Saldivar A, Paxton RJ, Pitts-Singer T, Poveda K, Prendergast K, Quaranta M, Read SFJ, Reinhardt S, Rojas-Oropeza M, Ruiz C, Rundlöf M, Sade A, Sandberg C, Sgolastra F, Shah SF, Shebl MA, Soon V, Stanley DA, Straka J, Theodorou P, Tobajas E, Vaca-Uribe JL, Vera A, Villagra CA, Williams MK, Wolowski M, Wood TJ, Yan Z, Zhang Q, Vereecken NJ. Global taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of bees in apple orchards. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:165933. [PMID: 37536603 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
An essential prerequisite to safeguard pollinator species is characterisation of the multifaceted diversity of crop pollinators and identification of the drivers of pollinator community changes across biogeographical gradients. The extent to which intensive agriculture is associated with the homogenisation of biological communities at large spatial scales remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated diversity drivers for 644 bee species/morphospecies in 177 commercial apple orchards across 33 countries and four global biogeographical biomes. Our findings reveal significant taxonomic dissimilarity among biogeographical zones. Interestingly, despite this dissimilarity, species from different zones share similar higher-level phylogenetic groups and similar ecological and behavioural traits (i.e. functional traits), likely due to habitat filtering caused by perennial monoculture systems managed intensively for crop production. Honey bee species dominated orchard communities, while other managed/manageable and wild species were collected in lower numbers. Moreover, the presence of herbaceous, uncultivated open areas and organic management practices were associated with increased wild bee diversity. Overall, our study sheds light on the importance of large-scale analyses contributing to the emerging fields of functional and phylogenetic diversity, which can be related to ecosystem function to promote biodiversity as a key asset in agroecosystems in the face of global change pressures.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Leclercq
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/02, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
| | - L Marshall
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/02, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium; Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - T Weekers
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/02, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - P Basu
- Centre for Pollination Studies, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - D Benda
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Entomology, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - D Bevk
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - R Bhattacharya
- Centre for Pollination Studies, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - P Bogusch
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - A Bontšutšnaja
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
| | - L Bortolotti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
| | - N Cabirol
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science, UNAM, México City, Mexico
| | - E Calderón-Uraga
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science, UNAM, México City, Mexico
| | - R Carvalho
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - S Castro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - S Chatterjee
- Centre for Pollination Studies, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - M De La Cruz Alquicira
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science, UNAM, México City, Mexico
| | - J R de Miranda
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, 750 05, Sweden
| | - T Dirilgen
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - A Dorchin
- Laboratory of Zoology, Université de Mons, Mons, Belgium; The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel; Department of Entomology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - K Dorji
- College of Natural Resources, Royal University of Bhutan, Punakha, Bhutan
| | - B Drepper
- Division of Forest, Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - S Flaminio
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy; Laboratory of Zoology, Université de Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - J Gailis
- Institute for Plant Protection Research Agrihorts, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia
| | - M Galloni
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - H Gaspar
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - M W Gikungu
- Department of Zoology, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - B A Hatteland
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant Health, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Aas, Norway; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - I Hinojosa-Diaz
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Biology, UNAM, México City, Mexico
| | - L Hostinská
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Králové, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - B G Howlett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand
| | - K-L J Hung
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3B2, Canada; Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - L Hutchinson
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom
| | - R O Jesus
- Graduate Program in Ecology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - N Karklina
- Institute for Plant Protection Research Agrihorts, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia
| | - M S Khan
- Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - J Loureiro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - X Men
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Virology,Jinan 250100, China
| | - J-M Molenberg
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/02, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - S Mudri-Stojnić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 2, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - P Nikolic
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - E Normandin
- Centre sur la biodiversité, Département des sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, QC, Québec H1X 2B2, Canada
| | - J Osterman
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstrasse 4, 79106, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - F Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - A S Oygarden
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - L Ozolina-Pole
- Institute for Plant Protection Research Agrihorts, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia
| | - N Ozols
- Institute for Plant Protection Research Agrihorts, Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, Jelgava, Latvia
| | - A Parra Saldivar
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación (UMCE), Santiago, Chile
| | - R J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - T Pitts-Singer
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Pollinating Insects Research Unit, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - K Poveda
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 4126 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - K Prendergast
- Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - M Quaranta
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna, Italy
| | - S F J Read
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand
| | - S Reinhardt
- Department of Natural Sciences and Environmental Health, University of South-Eastern Norway, Bø, Norway
| | - M Rojas-Oropeza
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resources, Faculty of Science, UNAM, México City, Mexico
| | - C Ruiz
- Departamento Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de La Laguna, La Laguna, 38206, Tenerife, Spain
| | - M Rundlöf
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - A Sade
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, 31905 Haifa, Israel
| | - C Sandberg
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Calluna AB, Husargatan 3, Malmö, 211 28, Sweden
| | - F Sgolastra
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - S F Shah
- Department of Entomology, University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - M A Shebl
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - V Soon
- Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51003 Tartu, Estonia
| | - D A Stanley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science and Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - J Straka
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - P Theodorou
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - E Tobajas
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Department of Animal Biology, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, 37007, Spain
| | - J L Vaca-Uribe
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Abejas LABUN, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá,111321, Colombia
| | - A Vera
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación (UMCE), Santiago, Chile
| | - C A Villagra
- Instituto de Entomología, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación (UMCE), Santiago, Chile
| | - M-K Williams
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - M Wolowski
- Institute of Natural Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - T J Wood
- Laboratory of Zoology, Université de Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Z Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Q Zhang
- Beijing Biodiversity Conservation Research Center/Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing 100076, China
| | - N J Vereecken
- Agroecology Lab, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Boulevard du Triomphe CP 264/02, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium
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Jirgal N, Ohashi K. Effects of floral symmetry and orientation on the consistency of pollinator entry angle. THE SCIENCE OF NATURE - NATURWISSENSCHAFTEN 2023; 110:19. [PMID: 37188878 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-023-01845-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Since the publication of Sprengel's (1793) observations, it has been considered that flowers with zygomorphic (or bilaterally symmetrical) corollas evolved to restrict the movement of pollinators into the flower by limiting the pollinator's direction of approach. However, little empirical support has been accumulated so far. Our aim was to build on previous research that showed zygomorphy reduces variance in pollinator entry angle, aiming to observe whether floral symmetry or orientation had an impact on pollinator entry angle in a laboratory experiment using bumble bees, Bombus ignitus. Using nine different combinations of artificial flowers created from three symmetry types (radial, bilateral and disymmetrical) and three orientation types (upward, horizontal, and downward), we tested the effects of these two floral aspects on the consistency of bee entry angle. Our results show that horizontal orientation significantly reduced the variance in entry angle, while symmetry had little effect. We also found either little or no significant interactions between angle and symmetry in their effect on entry angle. Thus, our results suggest that horizontal orientation forces the bees to orient themselves relative to gravity rather than the corolla and stabilizes their flower entry. This stabilizing effect may have been mistaken for the effect of zygomorphic corolla as it is presented horizontally in most species. Consequently, we suggest that the evolution of horizontal orientation preceded that of zygomorphy as indicated by some authors, and that the reason behind the evolution of zygomorphy should be revisited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Jirgal
- University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan.
| | - Kazuharu Ohashi
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8572, Japan
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Zhao H, Liao H, Li S, Zhang R, Dai J, Ma P, Wang T, Wang M, Yuan Y, Fu X, Cheng J, Duan X, Xie Y, Zhang P, Kong H, Shan H. Delphinieae flowers originated from the rewiring of interactions between duplicated and diversified floral organ identity and symmetry genes. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:994-1012. [PMID: 36560915 PMCID: PMC10015166 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Species of the tribe Delphinieae (Ranunculaceae) have long been the focus of morphological, ecological, and evolutionary studies due to their highly specialized, nearly zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical) spiral flowers with nested petal and sepal spurs and reduced petals. The mechanisms underlying the development and evolution of Delphinieae flowers, however, remain unclear. Here, by conducting extensive phylogenetic, comparative transcriptomic, expression, and functional studies, we clarified the evolutionary histories, expression patterns, and functions of floral organ identity and symmetry genes in Delphinieae. We found that duplication and/or diversification of APETALA3-3 (AP3-3), AGAMOUS-LIKE6 (AGL6), CYCLOIDEA (CYC), and DIVARICATA (DIV) lineage genes was tightly associated with the origination of Delphinieae flowers. Specifically, an AGL6-lineage member (such as the Delphinium ajacis AGL6-1a) represses sepal spur formation and petal development in the lateral and ventral parts of the flower while determining petal identity redundantly with AGL6-1b. By contrast, two CYC2-like genes, CYC2b and CYC2a, define the dorsal and lateral-ventral identities of the flower, respectively, and form complex regulatory links with AP3-3, AGL6-1a, and DIV1. Therefore, duplication and diversification of floral symmetry genes, as well as co-option of the duplicated copies into the preexisting floral regulatory network, have been key for the origin of Delphinieae flowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiqi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Hainan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571100, China
| | - Hong Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Shuixian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jing Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Pengrui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Tianpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Meimei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Yi Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xuehao Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Jie Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xiaoshan Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Yanru Xie
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Hongzhi Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Hongyan Shan
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
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7
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Keasar T, Pourtallier O, Wajnberg E. Can sociality facilitate learning of complex tasks? Lessons from bees and flowers. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210402. [PMID: 36688396 PMCID: PMC9869446 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of animal societies is a major evolutionary transition, but its implications for learning-dependent innovations are insufficiently understood. Bees, with lifestyles ranging from solitary to eusocial, are ideal models for exploring social evolution. Here, we ask how and why bees may acquire a new 'technology', foraging on morphologically complex flowers, and whether eusociality facilitates this technological shift. We consider 'complex' flowers that produce high food rewards but are difficult to access, versus 'simple' flowers offering easily accessible yet lower rewards. Complex flowers are less profitable than simple flowers to naive bees but become more rewarding after a learning period. We model how social bees optimally choose between simple and complex flowers over time, to maximize their colony's food balance. The model predicts no effect of colony size on the bees' flower choices. More foraging on complex flowers is predicted as colony longevity, its proportion of foragers, individual longevity and learning ability increase. Of these traits, only long-lived colonies and abundant foragers characterize eusocial bees. Thus, we predict that eusociality supports, but is not mandatory for, learning to exploit complex flowers. A re-analysis of a large published dataset of bee-flower interactions supports these conclusions. We discuss parallels between the evolution of insect sociality and other major transitions that provide scaffolds for learning innovations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Human socio-cultural evolution in light of evolutionary transitions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Keasar
- Biology and Environment, University of Haifa, Oranim, Tivon 36006, Israel
| | | | - Eric Wajnberg
- INRIA, Projet Hephaistos, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France,Inrae, 400 Route des Chappes, BP 167 06903 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France
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8
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The generation of the flower by self-organisation. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 177:42-54. [PMID: 36346254 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The essence of the Turing-Child theory (Schiffmann, 1991, 2017) is the direct and spontaneous conversion of chemical energy into simultaneous differentiation and morphogenesis, and all localised biological work and localised entropy-reducing processes. This is done via the identification of the Turing instability with cAMP and ATP being the Turing morphogens that mutually fulfil the five Turing inequalities. A flower model like the ABC model is derived from experiments with mutations. But what actually generates the model in real development? That is, how do genes of class A come to be expressed in the sepal and petal whorls, genes of class B in the petal and stamen whorls, and genes of class C in the stamen and carpel whorls. We suggest that the generation of the ABC model occurs via sequential compartmentalisation by Turing-Child eigenfunction patterns similar to the one occurring in Drosophila (Schiffmann, 2012). We also suggest a similar mechanism for the generation of the dorso-lateral-ventral polarity and bilateral symmetry. A mechanism for the generation of the regular location of the floral organs is also suggested. The symmetry and regularity of flowers, which are the source of their attraction and beauty, stem from the symmetry and regularity of the Turing-Child eigenfunctions. The central problem in developmental biology is the endless regress. This endless regress is halted by the Turing-Child pre-patterns and this is illustrated on a central example in flower generation. Both the shape and the chemistry - the steady-state rate of ATP synthesis and hydrolysis - of the Turing-Child pre-patterns are exactly what is required. Art and science meet in flower formation.
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9
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Liu J, Zhang J, Shen J, Zhao H, Ma W, Jiang Y. Differences in EAG Response and Behavioral Choices between Honey Bee and Bumble Bee to Tomato Flower Volatiles. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13110987. [PMID: 36354811 PMCID: PMC9697709 DOI: 10.3390/insects13110987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Bumble bees and honey bees are of vital importance for tomato pollination, although honey bees are less attracted to tomato flowers than bumble bees. Little is known about how tomato flower volatile compounds influence the foraging behaviors of honey bees and bumble bees. In this study, compounds of tomato flower volatiles were detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Electroantennography (EAG) and a dynamic two-choice olfactometer were used, respectively, to compare the differences of antennal and behavioral responses between Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris towards selected volatile compounds. A total of 46 compounds were detected from the tomato flower volatiles. Of the 16 compounds tested, A. mellifera showed strong antennal responses to 3 compounds (1-nonanal, (+)-dihydrocarvone, and toluene) when compared with a mineral oil control, and B. terrestris showed 7 pronounced EAG responses (1,3-xylene, (+)-dihydrocarvone, toluene, piperitone, eucarvone, 1-nonanal, and β-ocimene). Additionally, 1-nonanal and (+)-dihydrocarvone elicited significant avoidance behavior of A. mellifera, but not of B. terrestris. In conclusion, bumble bees are more sensitive to the compounds of tomato flower volatiles compared to honey bees, and honey bees showed aversion to some compounds of tomato flower volatiles. The findings indicated that compounds of flower volatiles significantly influenced bee foraging preference for tomato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjia Liu
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
| | - Jiangchao Zhang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
| | - Jinshan Shen
- College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, China
| | - Huiting Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
| | - Weihua Ma
- College of Horticulture, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taiyuan 030031, China
| | - Yusuo Jiang
- College of Animal Science, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong 030801, China
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10
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Hempel de Ibarra N, Holtze S, Bäucker C, Sprau P, Vorobyev M. The role of colour patterns for the recognition of flowers by bees. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210284. [PMID: 36058248 PMCID: PMC9441241 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Bees discriminate between many different colours of flower petals, but it is not well understood how they perceive and learn patterns frequently found in flowers with colourful structures. We used multi-spectral imaging to explore chromatic cues in concentric flower patterns as they are seen through the low-resolution eyes of the honeybee. We find a diversity of colour combinations, which suggests that plants might exploit the sensory capabilities of pollinators, like bees, that learn colours easily. A consistent feature is that the surround of the pattern has a stronger chromatic contrast to the foliage background than the centre. This can potentially facilitate the fast identification of floral objects within colourful scenes when a foraging bee moves through a flower patch. In behavioural experiments we trained and tested bees with three types of concentric patterns. They recognized and discriminated patterns accurately in most tests, relying flexibly on both chromatic and spatial cues. Only rarely, depending on the training stimulus, chromatic cues determined their choices whilst pattern cues were ignored. The variability of floral designs and the bees' flexibility in recalling colour and spatial information suggest a role for colour vision in pattern processing. Implications for the signalling strategies of flowers are discussed. This article is part of the theme issue 'Understanding colour vision: molecular, physiological, neuronal and behavioural studies in arthropods'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Hempel de Ibarra
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
- Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Holtze
- Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Cornelia Bäucker
- Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Sprau
- Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Misha Vorobyev
- Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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11
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Harrison AS, Rands SA. The Ability of Bumblebees Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to Detect Floral Humidity is Dependent Upon Environmental Humidity. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:1010-1019. [PMID: 35899458 PMCID: PMC9585368 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Flowers produce local humidity that is often greater than that of the surrounding environment, and studies have shown that insect pollinators may be able to use this humidity difference to locate and identify suitable flowers. However, environmental humidity is highly heterogeneous, and is likely to affect the detectability of floral humidity, potentially constraining the contexts in which it can be used as a salient communication pathway between plants and their pollinators. In this study, we use differential conditioning techniques on bumblebees Bombus terrestris audax (Harris) to explore the detectability of an elevated floral humidity signal when presented against different levels of environmental noise. Artificial flowers were constructed that could be either dry or humid, and individual bumblebees were presented with consistent rewards in either the humid or dry flowers presented in an environment with four levels of constant humidity, ranging from low (~20% RH) to highly saturated (~95% RH). Ability to learn was dependent upon both the rewarding flower type and the environment: the bumblebees were able to learn rewarding dry flowers in all environments, but their ability to learn humid rewarding flowers was dependent on the environmental humidity, and they were unable to learn humid rewarding flowers when the environment was highly saturated. This suggests that floral humidity might be masked from bumblebees in humid environments, suggesting that it may be a more useful signal to insect pollinators in arid environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy S Harrison
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
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12
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The involvement of a floral scent in plant-honeybee interaction. Naturwissenschaften 2022; 109:30. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-022-01802-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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13
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Kemp JE, Telles FJ, Vallejo‐Marín M. Reduced visitation to buzz-pollinated Cyanella hyacinthoides in the presence of other pollen sources in the hyperdiverse Cape Floristic Region. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8784. [PMID: 35386882 PMCID: PMC8976283 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many plant species have floral morphologies that restrict access to floral resources, such as pollen or nectar, and only a subset of floral visitors can perform the handling behaviors required to extract restricted resources. Due to the time and energy required to extract resources from morphologically complex flowers, these plant species potentially compete for pollinators with co-flowering plants that have more easily accessible resources. A widespread floral mechanism restricting access to pollen is the presence of tubular anthers that open through small pores or slits (poricidal anthers). Some bees have evolved the capacity to remove pollen from poricidal anthers using vibrations, giving rise to the phenomenon of buzz-pollination. These bee vibrations that are produced for pollen extraction are presumably energetically costly, and to date, few studies have investigated whether buzz-pollinated flowers may be at a disadvantage when competing for pollinators' attention with plant species that present unrestricted pollen resources. Here, we studied Cyanella hyacinthoides (Tecophilaeaceae), a geophyte with poricidal anthers in the hyperdiverse Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, to assess how the composition and relative abundance of flowers with easily accessible pollen affect bee visitation to a buzz-pollinated plant. We found that the number of pollinator species of C. hyacinthoides was not influenced by community composition. However, visitation rates to C. hyacinthoides were reduced when the relative abundances of flowers with more accessible resources were high. Visitation rates were strongly associated with petal color, showing that flower color is important in mediating these interactions. We conclude that buzz-pollinated plants might be at a competitive disadvantage when many easily accessible pollen sources are available, particularly when competitor species share its floral signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurene E. Kemp
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Francismeire J. Telles
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos NaturaisUniversidade Federal de UberlândiaUberlândiaMGBrazil
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14
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Howard SR, Prendergast K, Symonds MRE, Shrestha M, Dyer AG. Spontaneous choices for insect-pollinated flower shapes by wild non-eusocial halictid bees. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:271069. [PMID: 34318316 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The majority of angiosperms require animal pollination for reproduction, and insects are the dominant group of animal pollinators. Bees are considered one of the most important and abundant insect pollinators. Research into bee behaviour and foraging decisions has typically centred on managed eusocial bee species, including Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris. Non-eusocial bees are understudied with respect to foraging strategies and decision making, such as flower preferences. Understanding whether there are fundamental foraging strategies and preferences that are features of insect groups can provide key insights into the evolution of flower-pollinator co-evolution. In the current study, Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium and Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp., two native Australian generalist halictid bees, were tested for flower shape preferences between native insect-pollinated and bird-pollinated flowers. Each bee was presented with achromatic images of either insect-pollinated or bird-pollinated flowers in a circular arena. Both native bee species demonstrated a significant preference for images of insect-pollinated flowers. These preferences are similar to those found in A. mellifera, suggesting that flower shape preference may be a deep-rooted evolutionary occurrence within bees. With growing interest in the sensory capabilities of non-eusocial bees as alternative pollinators, the current study also provides a valuable framework for further behavioural testing of such species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scarlett R Howard
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Kit Prendergast
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Matthew R E Symonds
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia
| | - Mani Shrestha
- Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, 95440 Bayreuth, Germany.,Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Adrian G Dyer
- School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
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15
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Krishna S, Keasar T. Generalization of Foraging Experience Biases Bees Toward Flowers With Complex Morphologies. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.655086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The importance of pollinators as selective agents for many floral traits is well established, but understanding their role in the evolution of complex floral shapes remains challenging. This is because pollinators often need much practice to efficiently handle morphologically complex flowers and extract their food rewards. What induces foragers to persistently visit and pollinate complex flowers despite their initial low profitability? We previously found that naive bumblebees, and unsuccessful feeding attempts of experienced ones, contribute to the pollination of complex flowers. Here we tested a complementary hypothesis, positing that successful foraging on flowers of one complex shape prepares pollinators to visit other species of different complex morphologies. We trained bumblebees to computer-controlled artificial flowers that were either simple, complex or both simple and complex. We then recorded their feeding choices and handling times on a second array of simple and complex flowers that had different shapes and required another handling technique. Bees trained on a single flower type (whether simple or complex) preferred flowers of the same type in the testing array. The foragers’ preferences after training on both flower types depended on the reward schedule during training: when both flower types rewarded equally, simple flowers were preferred at the test phase; when complex flowers provided higher reward during training, they became the preferred flower type during testing. These results suggest that successful foraging on complex flowers, especially when highly rewarding, can indeed induce insect pollinators to attempt additional flower species with other complex shapes.
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16
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Incorvaia DC, Hintze A, Dyer FC. Spatial allocation without spatial recruitment in bumblebees. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Any foraging animal is expected to allocate its efforts among resource patches that vary in quality across time and space. For social insects, this problem is shifted to the colony level: the task of allocating foraging workers to the best patches currently available. To deal with this task, honeybees rely upon differential recruitment via the dance language, while some ants use differential recruitment on odor trails. Bumblebees, close relatives of honeybees, should also benefit from optimizing spatial allocation but lack any targeted recruitment system. How bumblebees solve this problem is thus of immense interest to evolutionary biologists studying collective behavior. It has been thought that bumblebees could solve the spatial allocation problem by relying on the summed individual decisions of foragers, who occasionally sample and shift to alternative resources. We use field experiments to test the hypothesis that bumblebees augment individual exploration with social information. Specifically, we provide behavioral evidence that, when higher-concentration sucrose arrives at the nest, employed foragers abandon their patches to begin searching for the better option; they are more likely to accept novel resources if they match the quality of the sucrose solution experienced in the nest. We explored this strategy further by building an agent-based model of bumblebee foraging. This model supports the hypothesis that using social information to inform search decisions is advantageous over individual search alone. Our results show that bumblebees use a collective foraging strategy built on social modulation of individual decisions, providing further insight into the evolution of collective behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren C Incorvaia
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Arend Hintze
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department for Complex Dynamical Systems and MicroData Analytics, Dalarna University, Högskolegatan, Falun, Sweden
| | - Fred C Dyer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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17
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Ornai A, Keasar T. Floral Complexity Traits as Predictors of Plant-Bee Interactions in a Mediterranean Pollination Web. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9111432. [PMID: 33114435 PMCID: PMC7694153 DOI: 10.3390/plants9111432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite intensive research, predicting pairwise species associations in pollination networks remains a challenge. The morphological fit between flowers and pollinators acts as a filter that allows only some species within the network to interact. Previous studies emphasized the depth of floral tubes as a key shape trait that explains the composition of their animal visitors. Yet, additional shape-related parameters, related to the handling difficulty of flowers, may be important as well. We analyzed a dataset of 2288 visits by six bee genera to 53 flowering species in a Mediterranean plant community. We characterized the plant species by five discrete shape parameters, which potentially affect their accessibility to insects: floral shape class, tube depth, symmetry, corolla segmentation and type of reproductive unit. We then trained a random forest machine-learning model to predict visitor identities, based on the shape traits. The model’s predictor variables also included the Julian date on which each bee visit was observed and the year of observation, as proxies for within- and between-season variation in flower and bee abundance. The model attained a classification accuracy of 0.86 (AUC = 0.96). Using only shape parameters as predictors reduced its classification accuracy to 0.76 (AUC = 0.86), while using only the date and year variables resulted in a prediction accuracy of 0.69 (AUC = 0.80). Among the shape-related variables considered, flower shape class was the most important predictor of visitor identity in a logistic regression model. Our study demonstrates the power of machine-learning algorithms for understanding pollination interactions in a species-rich plant community, based on multiple features of flower morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alon Ornai
- Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel;
| | - Tamar Keasar
- Biology and the Environment, University of Haifa–Oranim, Tivon 36006, Israel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +972-52-871-8860
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18
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Preston JC, Powers B, Kostyun JL, Driscoll H, Zhang F, Zhong J. Implications of region-specific gene expression for development of the partially fused petunia corolla. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 100:158-175. [PMID: 31183889 PMCID: PMC6763366 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2019] [Revised: 05/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Angiosperm petal fusion (sympetaly) has evolved multiple times independently and is associated with increased specificity between plants and their pollinators. To uncover developmental genetic changes that might have led to the evolution of sympetaly in the asterid core eudicot genus Petunia (Solanaceae), we carried out global and fine-scale gene expression analyses in different regions of the corolla. We found that, despite several similarities with the choripetalous model species Arabidopsis thaliana in the proximal-distal transcriptome, the Petunia axillaris fused and proximal corolla tube expresses several genes that in A. thaliana are associated with the distal petal region. This difference aligns with variation in petal shape and fusion across ontogeny of the two species. Moreover, differential gene expression between the unfused lobes and fused tube of P. axillaris petals revealed three strong candidate genes for sympetaly based on functional annotation in organ boundary specification. Partial silencing of one of these, the HANABA TARANU (HAN)-like gene PhGATA19, resulted in reduced fusion of Petunia hybrida petals, with silencing of both PhGATA19 and its close paralog causing premature plant senescence. Finally, detailed expression analyses for the previously characterized organ boundary gene candidate NO APICAL MERISTEM (NAM) supports the hypothesis that it establishes boundaries between most P. axillaris floral organs, with the exception of boundaries between petals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill C. Preston
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, 63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Beck Powers
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, 63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Jamie L. Kostyun
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, 63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Heather Driscoll
- Bioinformatics Core, Vermont Genetics Network, Department of Biology, Norwich University, 158 Harmon Drive, Northfield, VT 05663, USA
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Biology, The University of Vermont, 33 Marsh Life Science, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Jinshun Zhong
- Department of Plant Biology, The University of Vermont, 63 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
- Current address: Department of Plant Developmental Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Carl-von-Linne-Weg 10, D-50829 Cologne, Germany
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19
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Krishna S, Keasar T. Bumblebees forage on flowers of increasingly complex morphologies despite low success. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.06.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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20
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Austin MW, Horack P, Dunlap AS. Choice in a floral marketplace: the role of complexity in bumble bee decision-making. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew W Austin
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Patricia Horack
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Aimee S Dunlap
- Department of Biology, University of Missouri – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
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21
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Howard SR, Shrestha M, Schramme J, Garcia JE, Avarguès-Weber A, Greentree AD, Dyer AG. Honeybees prefer novel insect-pollinated flower shapes over bird-pollinated flower shapes. Curr Zool 2018; 65:457-465. [PMID: 31413718 PMCID: PMC6688580 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoy095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant–pollinator interactions have a fundamental influence on flower evolution. Flower color signals are frequently tuned to the visual capabilities of important pollinators such as either bees or birds, but far less is known about whether flower shape influences the choices of pollinators. We tested European honeybee Apis mellifera preferences using novel achromatic (gray-scale) images of 12 insect-pollinated and 12 bird-pollinated native Australian flowers in Germany; thus, avoiding influences of color, odor, or prior experience. Independent bees were tested with a number of parameterized images specifically designed to assess preferences for size, shape, brightness, or the number of flower-like shapes present in an image. We show that honeybees have a preference for visiting images of insect-pollinated flowers and such a preference is most-likely mediated by holistic information rather than by individual image parameters. Our results indicate angiosperms have evolved flower shapes which influence the choice behavior of important pollinators, and thus suggest spatial achromatic flower properties are an important part of visual signaling for plant–pollinator interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scarlett R Howard
- Bio-inspired Digital Sensing (BIDS) Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Mani Shrestha
- Bio-inspired Digital Sensing (BIDS) Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Juergen Schramme
- Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology (iDn), Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55122, Germany
| | - Jair E Garcia
- Bio-inspired Digital Sensing (BIDS) Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Aurore Avarguès-Weber
- Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, Toulouse 31400, France
| | - Andrew D Greentree
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, School of Science, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia
| | - Adrian G Dyer
- Bio-inspired Digital Sensing (BIDS) Lab, School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia.,Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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