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COMPONENTS OF PHENOTYPIC SELECTION: POLLEN EXPORT AND FLOWER COROLLA WIDTH IN IPOMOPSIS AGGREGATA
Author(s) -
Campbell Diane R.,
Waser Nickolas M.,
Price Mary V.,
Lynch Elizabeth A.,
Mitchell Randall J.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1558-5646.1991.tb02648.x
Subject(s) - biology , pollen , hummingbird , nectar , pollinator , pollination , botany , selection (genetic algorithm) , horticulture , artificial intelligence , computer science
In the hummingbird‐pollinated herb Ipomopsis aggregata , selection through male function during pollination favors wide corolla tubes. We explored the mechanisms behind this selection, using phenotypic selection analysis to compare effects of corolla width on two components of male pollination success, pollinator visit rate and pollen exported per visit. During single visits by captive hummingbirds, flowers with wider corollas exported more pollen, and more dye used as a pollen analogue, to stigmas of recipient flowers. Corolla width was less strongly related to visit rate in the field, and had no direct effect on visit rate after nectar production and corolla length were controlled for. Moreover, the phenotypic selection differential was 80% higher for the effect on pollen exported per visit, suggesting that this is the more important mechanism of selection.