« Previous AbstractThe evolution of floral scent and insect chemical communication    Next AbstractHerbivory and floral signaling: phenotypic plasticity and tradeoffs between reproduction and indirect defense »

Evolution

Title:		The evolution of floral scent and olfactory preferences in pollinators: coevolution or pre-existing bias?
Author(s):		Schiestl FP; Dotterl S;
Address:		"Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, 8008 Zurich, Switzerland. florian.schiestl@systbot.uzh.ch"
Journal Title:		Evolution
Year:		2012
Volume:		20120312
Issue:		7
Page Number:		2042 - 2055
DOI:		10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01593.x
ISSN/ISBN:		1558-5646 (Electronic) 0014-3820 (Linking)
Abstract:		"Coevolution is thought to be a major factor in shaping plant-pollinator interactions. Alternatively, plants may have evolved traits that fitted pre-existing preferences or morphologies in the pollinators. Here, we test these two scenarios in the plant family of Araceae and scarab beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae) as pollinators. We focused on floral volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and production/detection of VOCs by scarab beetles. We found phylogenetic structure in the production/detection of methoxylated aromatics in scarabs, but not plants. Within the plants, most of the compounds showed a well-supported pattern of correlated evolution with scarab-beetle pollination. In contrast, the scarabs showed no correlation between VOC production/detection and visitation to Araceae flowers, with the exception of the VOC skatole. Moreover, many VOCs were found in nonpollinating beetle groups (e.g., Melolonthinae) that are ancestors of pollinating scarabs. Importantly, none of the tested VOCs were found to have originated in pollinating taxa. Our analysis indicates a Jurassic origin of VOC production/detection in scarabs, but a Cretaceous/Paleocene origin of floral VOCs in plants. Therefore, we argue against coevolution, instead supporting the scenario of sequential evolution of floral VOCs in Araceae driven by pre-existing bias of pollinators"
Keywords:		Animals Araceae/genetics/*physiology *Biological Evolution Coleoptera/genetics/*physiology Flowers/physiology Odorants/analysis Olfactory Perception Phylogeny *Pollination Species Specificity Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis/*metabolism;
Notes:		"MedlineSchiestl, Florian P Dotterl, Stefan eng Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. 2012/07/05 Evolution. 2012 Jul; 66(7):2042-55. doi: 10.1111/j.1558-5646.2012.01593.x. Epub 2012 Mar 12"