title: Selective Pressures Explain Differences in Flower Color among Gentiana lutea Populations.
abstract: Flower color variation among plant populations might reflect adaptation to local conditions such as the interacting animal community. In the northwest Iberian Peninsula, flower color of Gentiana lutea varies longitudinally among populations, ranging from orange to yellow. We explored whether flower color is locally adapted and the role of pollinators and seed predators as agents of selection by analyzing the influence of flower color on (i) pollinator visitation rate and (ii) escape from seed predation and (iii) by testing whether differences in pollinator communities correlate with flower color variation across populations. Finally, (iv) we investigated whether variation in selective pressures explains flower color variation among 12 G. lutea populations. Flower color influenced pollinator visits and differences in flower color among populations were related to variation in pollinator communities. Selective pressures on flower color vary among populations and explain part of flower color differences among populations of G. lutea. We conclude that flower color in G. lutea is locally adapted and that pollinators play a role in this adaptation.
authors.affiliation: Area of Ecology, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain; Department of Biology, Stanford University, 385 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA, 94305, United States of America.
authors.forename: Mar
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sobral
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Veiga
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
authors.forename: Javier A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Guitián
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guitián
authors.affiliation: Area of Ecology, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain.
authors.forename: José M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guitián
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D035264:Flowers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D030012:Gentiana / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010858:Pigmentation; D054817:Pollination; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D062206:Spatial Analysis