Abstract
Many studies have argued the importance of the flower-pollinator size matching for flower trait diversification. However, non-pollinator agents may also influence flower traits. In this study, we investigated the altitudinal variation of flower size (spur length, stamen length, petal blade length, corolla diameter, and sepal length) and flower visitors of Aquilegia buergeriana var. buergeriana (long-spurred columbine) in central Japan. Although this species was primarily visited by Bombus consobrinus, which has an unvarying mouthpart length, flower sizes varied greatly among populations with no correlation with altitude. These results suggest that non-pollinator and non-meteorological agents, directly and/or indirectly, impose selection pressure on flower size in A. buergeriana.
Highlights
Geographic flower trait variation often correlates with geographic variation in the composition of the pollinator assemblage [1]-[4]
[2] [3] found that variation of flower morphology in Erysimum mediohispanicum is affected by geographical variation in the composition of the pollinator assemblage
We found significant variations in the five flower dimensions (SPL, stamen length (STL), petal blade length (PBL), corolla diameter (COD), sepal length (SEL)) among populations, spur length (SPL) and STL variations were smaller than those of other traits (SPL: F = 3.95, P = 0.003; STL: F = 5.50, P < 0.001; PBL: F = 21.31, P < 0.001; COD: F = 14.21, P < 0.001; SEL: F = 14.50, P < 0.001; Figure 3)
Summary
Geographic flower trait variation (e.g., corolla tube length, spur length) often correlates with geographic variation in the composition of the pollinator assemblage [1]-[4] (for reviews see [5] [6]). (2014) Geographic Flower Trait Variation of Aquilegia buergeriana Sieb. [2] [3] found that variation of flower morphology in Erysimum mediohispanicum is affected by geographical variation in the composition of the pollinator assemblage. Variation of flower morphology can be affected by geographical variation of non-pollinator agents (for a review see [7]). A deeper knowledge of the factors that can cause geographic variation of flower morphology is important for understanding plant diversification and the evolution of floral traits. We observed geographic variation of floral size in the long-spurred columbine Aquilegia buergeriana Sieb. Our purpose was to examine the relative importance of pollinator and non-pollinator selection agents in determining variation of floral traits
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