Covariation and phenotypic integration in chemical communication displays: biosynthetic constraints and eco-evolutionary implications.

Chemical communication is ubiquitous. The identification of conserved structural elements in visual and acoustic communication is well established, but comparable information on chemical communication displays (CCDs) is lacking. We assessed the phenotypic integration of CCDs in a meta-analysis to characterize patterns of covariation in CCDs and identified functional or biosynthetically constrained modules. Poorly integrated plant CCDs (i.e. low covariation between scent compounds) support the notion that plants often utilize one or few key compounds to repel antagonists or to attract pollinators and enemies of herbivores. Animal CCDs (mostly insect pheromones) were usually more integrated than those of plants (i.e. stronger covariation), suggesting that animals communicate via fixed proportions among compounds. Both plant and animal CCDs were composed of modules, which are groups of strongly covarying compounds. Biosynthetic similarity of compounds revealed biosynthetic constraints in the covariation patterns of plant CCDs. We provide a novel perspective on chemical communication and a basis for future investigations on structural properties of CCDs. This will facilitate identifying modules and biosynthetic constraints that may affect the outcome of selection and thus provide a predictive framework for evolutionary trajectories of CCDs in plants and animals.

The impact of biochemistry vs. population membership on floral scent profiles in colour polymorphic Hesperis matronalis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Studies of floral scent evolution often attribute variation in floral scent to differences in pollinator behaviour, ignoring the potential for shared biochemistry between floral scent and floral colour to dictate patterns of phenotypic variation in scent production. To determine the relative effects of shared biochemistry and/or localized population-level phenomena on floral scent phenotype, floral scent composition and emission rate were examined in five wild populations of colour polymorphic Hesperis matronalis (Brassicaceae). METHODS: Floral scent was collected by in situ dynamic headspace extraction on purple and white colour morphs in each of five wild populations. Gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy of extracts allowed determination of floral scent composition and emission rate for all individuals, which were examined by non-metric multidimensional scaling and analysis of variance (ANOVA), respectively, to determine the contributions of floral colour and population membership to scent profile variation. KEY RESULTS: Despite the fact that colour morph means were very similar in some populations and quite different in other populations, colour morphs within populations did not differ from each other in terms of scent composition or emission rate. Populations differed significantly from one another in terms of both floral scent composition and emission rate. CONCLUSIONS: Shared biochemistry alone cannot explain the variation in floral scent phenotype found for H. matronalis. Such a result may suggest that the biochemical association between floral scent and floral colour is complex or dependent on genetic background. Floral scent does vary significantly with population membership; several factors, including environmental conditions, founder effects and genetics, may account for this differentiation and should be considered in future studies.

Flower color-flower scent associations in polymorphic Hesperis matronalis (Brassicaceae).

Floral scent emission rate and composition of purple and white flower color morphs of Hesperis matronalis (Brassicaceae) were determined for two populations and, for each, at two times of day using dynamic headspace collection and GC-MS. The floral volatile compounds identified for this species fell into two main categories, terpenoids and aromatics. Principal component analysis of 30 compounds demonstrated that both color morphs emitted more scent at dusk than at dawn. Color morphs varied in chemical composition of scent, but this differed between populations. The white morphs exhibited significant differences between populations, while the purple morphs did not. In the white morphs, one population contains color-scent associations that match expectations from classical pollination syndrome theory, where the flowers have aromatic scents, which are expected to maximize night-flying moth pollinator attraction; in the second population, white morphs were strongly associated with terpenoid compounds. The potential impact that pollinators, conserved biosynthetic pathways, and the genetics of small colonizing populations may have in determining population-specific associations between floral color and floral scent are discussed.

Sources of floral scent variation: can environment define floral scent phenotype?

Studies of floral scent generally assume that genetic adaptation due to pollinator-mediated natural selection explains a significant amount of phenotypic variance, ignoring the potential for phenotypic plasticity in this trait. In this paper, we assess this latter possibility, looking first at previous studies of floral scent variation in relation to abiotic environmental factors. We then present data from our own research that suggests among-population floral scent variation is determined, in part, by environmental conditions and thus displays phenotypic plasticity. Such an outcome has strong ramifications for the study of floral scent variation; we conclude by presenting some fundamental questions that should lead to greater insight into our understanding of the evolution of this trait, which is important to plant-animal interactions.