A5035649657- Plant and animal studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Plant Diversity and Evolution
- Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions
- Plant Taxonomy and Phylogenetics
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Landfill Environmental Impact Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Stabilization
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Plant and fungal interactions
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Electrokinetic Soil Remediation Techniques
- Botanical Studies and Applications
- Underground infrastructure and sustainability
- Infrastructure Maintenance and Monitoring
- Oil, Gas, and Environmental Issues
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
- Risk and Safety Analysis
- Fern and Epiphyte Biology
University of Vienna
2015-2025
University of Colorado Boulder
2021-2024
University of Colorado System
2021
Evolutionary shifts from bee to vertebrate pollination are common in tropical mountains. Reduction efficiency under adverse montane weather conditions was proposed drive these shifts. Although pollinator central the evolution and diversification of angiosperms, we lack experimental evidence ecological processes underlying such Here, combine phylogenetic distributional data for 138 species Neotropical plant tribe Merianieae (Melastomataceae) with observations 11 field experiments six test...
Abstract Apomictic plants expand their geographical distributions more to higher elevations compared sexual progenitors. It was so far unclear whether this tendency is related mode of reproduction itself or represents a side effect polyploidy. Apomixis advantageous for range expansions as no mating partners and pollinators are needed (Baker’s rule). Polyploidy thought infer fitness advantages vigour that would enable adjust better extreme climatic conditions. However, little known about...
Summary Pollination syndromes describe recurring adaptation to selection imposed by distinct pollinators. We tested for pollination in Merianieae (Melastomataceae), which contain bee‐ (buzz‐), hummingbird‐, flowerpiercer‐, passerine‐, bat‐ and rodent‐pollinated species. Further, we explored trait changes correlated with the repeated shifts away from buzz‐pollination, represents an ‘adaptive plateau’ Melastomataceae. used random forest analyses identify key traits associated different...
Abstract Aim Emerging polyploids may depend on environmental niche shifts for successful establishment. Using the alpine plant Ranunculus kuepferi as a model system, we explore shift hypothesis at different spatial resolutions and in contrasting parts of species range. Location European Alps. Methods We sampled 12 individuals from each 102 populations R. across Alps, determined their ploidy levels, derived coarse‐grain (100 × 100 m) descriptors all sampling sites by downscaling WorldClim...
Abstract Angiosperm flowers have diversified in adaptation to pollinators, but are also shaped by developmental and genetic histories. The relative importance of these factors structuring floral diversity remains unknown. We assess the effects development, function evolutionary history testing competing hypotheses on modularity shape evolution Merianieae (Melastomataceae). characterized different pollinator selection regimes a constraint: tubular anthers adapted specialized buzz-pollination....
Floral adaptation to a single most effective functional pollinator group leads specialized pollination syndromes. However, adaptations allowing for by two groups (bimodal systems) remain rarely investigated conundrum. We tested whether floral scent and nectar traits of species visited indicate specialization on either the or both systems). studied biology in four Meriania (Melastomataceae) Ecuadorian Andes. Pollinator observations exclusion experiments showed that each was effectively...
Summary Biological invasions can be associated with shifts of the species’ climatic niches but incidence such is under debate. The reproductive system might a key factor controlling because it influences evolutionary flexibility. However, link between systems and niche dynamics in plant has been little studied so far. We compiled global occurrence data sets 13 congeneric sexual apomictic species pairs, used principal components analysis ( PCA ) kernel smoothers to compare changes optima,...
Abstract Asexual taxa often have larger ranges than their sexual progenitors, particularly in areas affected by Pleistocene glaciations. The reasons given for this ‘geographical parthenogenesis’ are contentious, with expansion of the ecological niche or colonisation advantages uniparental reproduction assumed most important case plants. Here, we parameterized a spread model alpine buttercup Ranunculus kuepferi and reconstructed joint Holocene range its apomictic cytotype across European Alps...
AbstractAbiotic factors (e.g., temperature, precipitation) vary markedly along elevational gradients and differentially affect major groups of pollinators. Ectothermic bees, for example, are impeded in visiting flowers by cold rainy conditions common at high elevations, while endothermic hummingbirds may continue foraging under such conditions. Despite the possibly far-reaching effects abiotic environment on plant-pollinator interactions, we know little about how these play out broad...
This article comments on: Alvord M, McNally J, Casey C, Jankauski M. 2025. Turgor pressure affects transverse stiffness and resonant frequencies of buzz-pollinated poricidal anthers. Journal Experimental Botany 76, 1784–1794
Abstract Premise Color in flowers and fruits carries multiple functions, from attracting animal partners (pollinators, dispersers) to mitigating environmental stress (cold, drought, UV‐B). With research historically focusing on biotic interactions as selective agents, however, it remains unclear whether abiotic stressors impact flower fruit colors across large spatial scales shape their global distribution. Moreover, although are developmentally linked exposed the same macroclimatic...
Animal pollinators mediate gene flow among plant populations, but in contrast to well-studied topographic and (Pleistocene) environmental isolating barriers, their impact on population genetic differentiation remains largely unexplored. Comparing how these multifarious factors drive microevolutionary histories is, however, crucial for better resolving macroevolutionary patterns of diversification. Here we combined genomic analyses with landscape genetics niche modelling across six related...
Pollen plays a key role in plant reproductive biology. Despite the long history of research on pollen and pollination, recent advances pollen-tracking methods statistical approaches to linking phenotype, pollination performance, fitness yield steady flow exciting new insights. In this introduction Special Issue "Pollen as Link Between Phenotype Fitness," we start by describing general conceptual model functional classes floral phenotypic traits pollination-related performance metrics...
Abstract Floral structures, such as stamen appendages, play crucial roles in pollinator attraction, pollen release dynamics and, ultimately, the reproductive success of plants. The pollen‐rewarding, bee buzz‐pollinated flowers Melastomataceae often bear conspicuous staminal appendages. Surprisingly, their functional role pollination process remains largely unclear. We use Huberia bradeana Bochorny & R. Goldenb. ( ) with conspicuously elongated, twisted appendages to investigate process....
Heteranthery, the presence of distinct stamen types within a flower, is commonly explained as functional adaptation to alleviate "pollen dilemma," defined dual and conflicting function pollen pollinator food resource male reproductive agent. A single primary hypothesis, "division labor," has been central in studies on heteranthery. This hypothesis postulates that one type functions rewarding pollen-collecting pollinators other reproduction, thereby minimizing loss. Only recently, alternative...
Pollination is a key ecological process both in wild plant species and economically important crops. Global land use change urbanization are known to alter plant–pollinator interactions, but our understanding of how the local (i.e. size green area, food resource availability) landscape (surrounding area) context affect pollinators urban landscapes remains understudied. We selected two co‐occurring clover species, Trifolium pratense T. repens assess whether mixed stands common wildflowers...
Why and how organismal lineages radiate is commonly studied through either assessing abiotic factors (biogeography, geomorphological processes, climate) or biotic (traits interactions). Despite increasing awareness that both processes may have important joint effects on diversification dynamics, few attempts been made to quantify the relative importance timing of these factors, their potentially interlinked direct indirect effects, lineage diversification. We here combine assessments...
Summary Shifts among functional pollinator groups are commonly regarded as sources of floral morphological diversity (disparity) through the formation distinct pollination syndromes. While syndromes may be used for predicting pollinators, their predictive accuracy remains debated, and they rarely to test whether disparity is indeed associated with shifts. We apply classification models trained validated on 44 traits across 252 species empirical observations then use predict pollinators 159...
Abstract Premise Floral shape (relative arrangement and position of floral organs) is critical in mediating fit with pollinators maximizing conspecific pollen transfer particularly functionally specialized systems. To date, however, few studies have attempted to quantify flowers as the inherently three‐dimensional (3D) structures they are determine effect intraspecific variation on transfer. We here addressed this research gap using a system, buzz pollination, which bees extract through...
Abstract Flower colour variation is ubiquitous within and between populations, which why it has long been a focal point for studies of natural selection. This body work uncovered wide range selective agents, including pollinators, herbivores various abiotic factors. Nevertheless, we lack an integrative framework predicting the phenotypic outcome in terms floral pigmentation when these forces act collectively often opposition. We here present such through model that incorporates selection on...
Abstract The recent availability of open‐access repositories functional traits has revolutionized trait‐based approaches in ecology and evolution. Nevertheless, the underrepresentation tropical regions lineages remains a pervasive bias plant trait databases, which constrains large‐scale assessments ecology, evolution, biogeography. Here, we present MelastomaTRAITs 1.0, comprehensive updatable database for pantropical Melastomataceae, ninth‐largest angiosperm family with 177 genera more than...