| Title: | Scent chemistry is key in the evolutionary transition between insect and mammal pollination in African pineapple lilies |
| Author(s): | Wester P; Johnson SD; Pauw A; |
| Address: | "School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa. Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Stellenbosch, 7602, South Africa. Institute of Sensory Ecology, Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitatsstr. 1, 40225, Dusseldorf, Germany" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1469-8137 (Electronic) 0028-646X (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Volatile emissions may play a key role in structuring pollination systems of plants with morphologically unspecialised flowers. Here we test for pollination by small mammals in Eucomis regia and investigate whether its floral scent differs markedly from fly- and wasp-pollinated congeners and attracts mammals. We measured floral traits of E. regia and made comparisons with insect-pollinated congeners. We observed floral visitors and examined fur and faeces of live-trapped mammals for pollen. We determined the contributions of different floral visitors to seed set with selective exclusion and established the breeding system with controlled pollination experiments. Using bioassays, we examined whether mammals are attracted by the floral scent and are effective agents of pollen transfer. Eucomis regia differs from closely related insect-pollinated species mainly in floral scent, with morphology, colour and nectar properties being similar. We found that mice and elephant-shrews pollinate E. regia, which is self-incompatible and reliant on vertebrates for seed production. Mammals are strongly attracted to the overall floral scent, which contains unusual sulphur compounds, including methional (which imparts the distinctive potato-like scent and which was shown to be attractive to small mammals). The results highlight the important role of scent chemistry in shifts between insect and mammal pollination systems" |
| Keywords: | Animals *Biological Evolution Breeding Choice Behavior Flowers/anatomy & histology/physiology Geography Insecta Lilium/*physiology Mammals/*physiology Mice Odorants/*analysis Pigmentation Plant Nectar/analysis Pollen/physiology Pollination/*physiology See; |
| Notes: | "MedlineWester, Petra Johnson, Steven D Pauw, Anton eng University of KwaZulu-Natal/International National Research Foundation/International Claude Leon Foundation/International Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't England 2019/01/08 New Phytol. 2019 May; 222(3):1624-1637. doi: 10.1111/nph.15671. Epub 2019 Feb 10" |
