Bedoukian   RussellIPM   RussellIPM   Piezoelectric Micro-Sprayer


Home
Animal Taxa
Plant Taxa
Semiochemicals
Floral Compounds
Semiochemical Detail
Semiochemicals & Taxa
Synthesis
Control
Invasive spp.
References

Abstract

Guide

Alphascents
Pherobio
InsectScience
E-Econex
Counterpart-Semiochemicals
Print
Email to a Friend
Kindly Donate for The Pherobase

« Previous AbstractA structure activity relationship for ring closure reactions in unsaturated alkylperoxy radicals    Next AbstractPre-adaptations and the evolution of pollination by sexual deception: Cope's rule of specialization revisited »

Ann Bot


Title:On the roles of colour and scent in a specialized floral mimicry system
Author(s):Vereecken NJ; Schiestl FP;
Address:"Evolutionary Biology & Ecology, Free University of Brussels/Universite Libre de Bruxelles, Av. F.D. Roosevelt 50 CP 160/12, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. nicolas.vereecken@ulb.ac.be"
Journal Title:Ann Bot
Year:2009
Volume:20090818
Issue:6
Page Number:1077 - 1084
DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcp208
ISSN/ISBN:1095-8290 (Electronic) 0305-7364 (Print) 0305-7364 (Linking)
Abstract:"BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sexually deceptive orchids achieve cross-pollination by mimicking the mating signals of female insects, generally hymenopterans. This pollination mechanism is often highly specific as it is based primarily on the mimicry of mating signals, especially the female sex pheromones of the targeted pollinator. Like many deceptive orchids, the Mediterranean species Ophrys arachnitiformis shows high levels of floral trait variation, especially in the colour of the perianth, which is either green or white/pinkinsh within populations. The adaptive significance of perianth colour polymorphism and its influence on pollinator visitation rates in sexually deceptive orchids remain obscure. METHODS: The relative importance of floral scent versus perianth colour in pollinator attraction in this orchid pollinator mimicry system was evaluated by performing floral scent analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and behavioural bioassays with the pollinators under natural conditions were performed. KEY RESULTS: The relative and absolute amounts of behaviourally active compounds are identical in the two colour morphs of O. arachnitiformis. Neither presence/absence nor the colour of the perianth (green versus white) influence attractiveness of the flowers to Colletes cunicularius males, the main pollinator of O. arachnitiformis. CONCLUSION: Chemical signals alone can mediate the interactions in highly specialized mimicry systems. Floral colour polymorphism in O. arachnitiformis is not subjected to selection imposed by C. cunicularius males, and an interplay between different non-adaptive processes may be responsible for the maintenance of floral colour polymorphism both within and among populations"
Keywords:"*Adaptation, Physiological Animals Bees/physiology Flowers/*physiology France *Odorants Orchidaceae/*physiology Pigmentation/*physiology Pollination/physiology Population Dynamics;"
Notes:"MedlineVereecken, Nicolas J Schiestl, Florian P eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2009/08/21 Ann Bot. 2009 Nov; 104(6):1077-84. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcp208. Epub 2009 Aug 18"

 
Back to top
 
Citation: El-Sayed AM 2024. The Pherobase: Database of Pheromones and Semiochemicals. <http://www.pherobase.com>.
© 2003-2024 The Pherobase - Extensive Database of Pheromones and Semiochemicals. Ashraf M. El-Sayed.
Page created on 27-12-2024