Egan, Paul A., Stevenson, Philip C. ORCID: 0000-0002-0736-3619 and Stout, Jane C. (2022) Pollinator selection against toxic nectar as a key facilitator of a plant invasion. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 377 (1853). ISSN 0962-8436 (Print), 1471-2970 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0168)

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Abstract

Plant compounds associated with herbivore defence occur widely in floral nectar and can impact pollinator health. We showed previously that Rhododendron ponticum nectar contains grayanotoxin I (GTX I) at concentrations that are lethal or sublethal to honeybees and a solitary bee in the plant's non-native range in Ireland. Here we further examined this conflict and tested the hypotheses that nectar GTX I is subject to negative pollinator-mediated selection in the non-native range, but that phenotypic linkage between GTX I levels in nectar and leaves acts as a constraint on independent evolution. We found that nectar GTX I experienced negative directional selection in the non-native range, in contrast to the native Iberian range, and that the magnitude and frequency of pollinator limitation indicated that selection was pollinator-mediated. Surprisingly, nectar GTX I levels were decoupled from those of leaves in the non-native range, which may have assisted post-invasion evolution of nectar without compromising the anti-herbivore function of GTX I (here demonstrated in bioassays with an ecologically relevant herbivore). Our study emphasizes the centrality of pollinator health as a concept linked to the invasion process, and how post-invasion evolution can be targeted toward minimizing lethal or sub-lethal effects on pollinators.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This article is part of the theme issue ‘Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes’. One contribution of 20 to a theme issue ‘From floral chemistry to landscapes: the natural processes influencing pollinator health’.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	phenotypic selection; post-invasion evolution; toxic nectar; planther bivore–pollinator; interactions
Subjects:	Q Science > QD Chemistry S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) S Agriculture > SB Plant culture
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Agriculture, Health & Environment Department Faculty of Engineering & Science > Natural Resources Institute > Chemical Ecology Research Group
Last Modified:	20 Mar 2023 16:57
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/35838

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