9 research outputs found
Synthesis of Metalated Pseudorotaxane Polymers with Full Control over the Average Linear Density of Threaded Macrocycles
Polymerization–Depolymerization System Based on Reversible Addition-Dissociation Reaction of 1,3-Benzoxazine with Thiol
Olefin Metathesis in Homogeneous Aqueous Media Catalyzed by Conventional Ruthenium Catalysts
Characterization of irritans mariner-like elements in the olive fruit fly Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae): evolutionary implications
Flower colours along an alpine altitude gradient, seen through the eyes of fly and bee pollinators
Alpine flowers face multiple challenges in terms of abiotic and biotic factors, some of which may result in selection for certain colours at increasing altitude, in particular the changing pollinator species composition, which tends to move from bee-dominated at lower elevations to fly-dominated in high-alpine regions. To evaluate whether growing at altitude — and the associated change in the dominant pollinator groups present—has an effect on the colour of flowers, we analysed data collected from the Dovrefjell National Park in Norway. Unlike previous studies, however, we considered the flower colours according to ecologically relevant models of bee and fly colour vision and also their physical spectral properties independently of any colour vision system, rather than merely looking at human colour categories. The shift from bee to fly pollination with elevation might, according to the pollination syndrome hypothesis, lead to the prediction that flower colours should shift from more bee-blue and UV-blue flowers (blue/violet to humans, i.e. colours traditionally associated with large bee pollinators) at low elevations to more bee-blue-green and green (yellow and white to humans — colours often linked to fly pollination) flowers at higher altitude. However, although there was a slight increase in bee-blue-green flowers and a decrease in bee-blue flowers with increasing elevation, there were no statistically significant effects of altitude on flower colour as seen either by bees or by flies. Although flower colour is known to be constrained by evolutionary history, in this sample we also did not find evidence that phylogeny and elevation interact to determine flower colours in alpine areas