Plasticity in flower size as an adaptation to variation in pollinator specificity. (22nd July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dixit, Tanmay; Riederer, Jana M.; Quek, Stanley; Belford, Kate; de Wand, Tadzio Tavares; Sicat, Roxanne; Jiggins, Chris D.
• Is Part Of: Ecological entomology. Volume 45:Number 6(2020)
• Page Start: 1367
• Page End: 1372
• Publication Date: 2020-07-22
• Subjects: Coevolution -- Heliconius -- learning -- mutualism -- plasticity -- pollination; Insects -- Ecology -- Periodicals; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.7
• DOI: 10.1111/een.12921
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0307-6946

Abstract

Abstract : 1. Mutualisms, including plant‐pollinator interactions, are an important component of ecosystems. 2. Plants can avoid the costs of variation in pollinator benefit by maintaining specificity. 3. We hypothesise a novel mechanism to ensure specificity, which takes advantage of the cognitive abilities of specific pollinators to exclude non‐specific flower visitors. 4. Inflorescences of the tropical vine genus Psiguria produce flowers at regular intervals, with subsequent flowers smaller than predecessors. 5. The principle pollinators, Heliconius spp., possess an excellent spatial memory. 6. Therefore, decreasing flower size may ensure specific pollination: once Heliconius individuals have learnt the location of an inflorescence they will return, but inconspicuous flowers should reduce visits by non‐specific pollinators with poorer spatial memories. 7. We tested the predictions of this hypothesis with field experiments in Panama. We confirmed that flowers on inflorescences are smaller than their predecessors. 8. Paired experiments showed that larger flowers attracted more pollinators and that the presence of an initial large flower increased subsequent visitation by Heliconius spp. to small flowers, indicating learning behaviour. 9. These results suggest that learning behaviour and decreasing flower size maintain visits from specific pollinators while reducing those from non‐specific pollinators. We propose this as a novel mechanism for promoting pollinator specificity and discuss its ecological significance. Abstract : Inflorescences of the neotropical vine genus Psiguria produce flowers at regular intervals, with subsequent flowers smaller than predecessors, and are principally pollinated by Heliconius spp. Heliconius are attracted to larger flowers but learn and remember the locations of inflorescences, meaning that visits to smaller inflorescences continue despite decreased flower size. Therefore, the reduction in flower size may be an adaptation to limit attraction of non‐specific pollinators as inflorescences age, while a specific pollinator is maintained.