| Abstract Detail
Pollination Biology Imbert, Eric [1], Bessière, Jean-Marie [2], Schatz, Bertrand [3]. Flower color polymorphism in Iris chamaeiris: does the color matter ? Flower color is a key feature in the plant/insects relationships, in particular for the attractivity of pollinators. As a consequence, this character is submitted to important selective pressures, and most species show a narrow intraspecific variability. However, some species such as Viola lutea, Dactylorhiza sambucina or Iris chamaeiris are polymorphic.
The maintenance of polymorphism for traits under a high selective pressure is a recurrent question in evolutionary biology. Negative frequency-dependent selection is one mecanism explaining this polymorphism.
Iris chamaeiris (Iridaceae) is a common species in Mediterranean communities that has a striking purple-yellow flower color polymorphism. It can also be find some intermediate phenotypes. To test the negative frequency-dependent selection hypothesis, I conducted in 2006 and 2007 a set of observations about pollinator attractivity and fruit set in naturel populations. Two main hypotheses were tested : does the perianth color influence pollinator visits and fruit production ? Does the environment -frequency of the yellow form around a focus plant- influence the same parameters ?
In this talk, I will present the results of this experiment, and discussed about flower color in this species.
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1 - Institut des Sciences de l\'Evolution, Université Montpellier II, Montpellier, 34000, France
2 - Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier, Laboratoire de chimie appliquée, 8 rue de l’Ecole Normale, Montpellier, 34000, France
3 - Centre d\'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, 1919 route de Mende, Montpellier, 34000, France
Keywords:
Floral color
floral polymorphism.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 68
Location: 211/SUB
Date: Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Time: 3:45 PM
Number: 68001
Abstract ID:368 |
