Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype of producing different phenotypes when exposed to different environments, may impact ecological interactions. We study here how within-individual plasticity in Moricandia arvensis flowers modifies its pollination niche. During spring, this plant produces large, cross-shaped, UV-reflecting lilac flowers attracting mostly long-tongued large bees. However, unlike most co-occurring species, M. arvensis keeps flowering during the hot, dry summer due to its plasticity in key vegetative traits. Changes in temperature and photoperiod in summer trigger changes in gene expression and the production of small, rounded, UV-absorbing white flowers that attract a different assemblage of generalist pollinators. This shift in pollination niche potentially allows successful reproduction in harsh conditions, facilitating M. arvensis to face anthropogenic perturbations and climate change.
Highlights
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype of producing different phenotypes when exposed to different environments, may impact ecological interactions
By combining ecological, physiological, and genetic approaches, we demonstrate both in the field and under controlled conditions the occurrence of abrupt multivariate within-individual floral plasticity in Moricandia arvensis that alter the structure of the pollinator network and cause a significant shift in pollination niches
M. arvensis was plastic for functional traits associated with resource acquisition, producing denser and thicker leaves with more structural carbon and higher water use efficiency during summer than during spring (Fig. 1a, Supplementary Table 2, Supplementary Fig. 1; see supplementary material for detailed methods)
Summary
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a genotype of producing different phenotypes when exposed to different environments, may impact ecological interactions. This plasticity in floral traits was a widespread phenomenon since any individual from any of the studied populations that happened to flower during summer expressed it (Fig. 3, Supplementary Tables 5 and 6).
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