Pollinators and the evolution of floral diversity
Interactions with pollinators are thought to be one of the main selective forces underlying the origin of floral diversity. Species of Iochrominae are pollinated by a wide range of animals, including hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Insect-pollinated species, including Acnistus arborescens, tend to have small nectar rewards and scented flowers while the species that are principally pollinated by hummingbirds tend to have highly rewarding unscented flowers and large displays.ÌýMultiple species within Iochrominae can be found living in sympatry and sharing the same pollinator species. However,Ìýpollinators often display individual fidelity to particular species, i.e., they do not appear to forage randomly in mixed patches. Our recent work suggests that competive interactions amongÌýco-flowering iochromas explains the tremendous diversity of flower color, which may serve as a signal to allow pollinators to discriminate among species (Muchhala et al. 2014).
Previous support for this work from NSF DEB 0309310
Relevant publications:
Dellinger, A. +, L Lagomarsino, F. Michelangeli, S. Dullinger & S. D. Smith. 2024. The sequential direct and indirect effects of mountain uplift, climatic niche, and floral trait evolution on diversification dynamics in an Andean plant clade. Systematic Biology 73: 594-612.
Dellinger, A.+, A. Hamilton*, C. Wessinger, & S. D. Smith. 2023. Opposing patterns of altitude-driven pollinator turnover in the tropical and temperate Americas.ÌýAmerican Naturalist 202:152–165.Ìý
Smith, S. D., & R. Kriebel. 2018. Convergent evolution of floral shape tied to pollinator shifts in Iochrominae (Solanaceae).ÌýEvolutionÌý72: 688-697.ÌýÌý
Muchhala, N., S. Johnsen, and S. D. Smith. 2014. Competition for hummingbird pollination shapes flower color variation in Andean Solanaceae. Evolution 68: 2275-2286.
Rosas-Guerrero, V., M. Quesada, W. Scott Armbruster, R. Pérez-Barrales and S. D. Smith. 2011. Influence of pollination specialization and breeding system on floral integration and phenotypic variation in Ipomoea. Evolution 65: 350-364.
Smith, S. D. 2010. Using phylogenetics to detect pollinator-mediated floral evolution. New Phytologist 188: 354-363.
Smith, S. D., C. Ané, and D. A. Baum. 2009. Macroevolutionary tests of pollination syndromes: A reply to Fenster et al. Evolution 63: 2763-2767. Ìý
Smith, S. D., S. J. Hall, P. R. S. Izquierdo and D. A. Baum. 2008. Comparative pollination biology of sympatric and allopatric Andean Iochroma (Solanaceae). ÌýAnnals of the MissouriÌýBotanicalÌýGardenÌý95: 600-617.
Ìý
Ìý