Abstract Detail

Macroevolution

Burkiewicz, Jérôme [1], Carvalho, Julie [1], Joly, Simon [2].

Is the floral shape of Impatiens capensis influenced by urbanization?

Urbanization, the process by which natural and rural areas are converted into cities, is happening all around the world. Although urban areas only represent 0.5% of the surface of the world, they can cause big disturbances to ecosystems. Anthropogenic-induced changes in the physical or biological environment disturb living organisms and the interactions between them. In this context, pollination is particularly important to study because urbanization could affect both plant and pollinators and alter their relationship. Indeed, plants need pollinators to reproduce and survive and are often adapted to local pollinators to optimize pollen transfer thanks to their shape ensuring a good match between the reproductive parts of the flowers and the body of the animal. However, we do not know if and how urbanization affects the floral shape and the floral size of plants. To answer those questions, we study the shape and size of Impatiens capensis flowers, an annual herb from North America pollinated by bees, bumblebees, hummingbirds, and wasps across an urbanization gradient in Montreal, Ottawa, Quebec, and Toronto. We hypothesize that urbanization influences flower shape and size but indirectly, through the effect of urbanization on the abundance, diversity, and phenotype of pollinators. To verify this hypothesis, we sampled and observed Impatiens capensis pollinators at each site to assess diversity, abundance, phenotype, and visitation rates. We quantified the shape of flowers in profile and face view using geometric morphometrics and used Procrustes regression to test the relationship between urbanization, pollinator communities and floral shape. Our results show both a global urbanization effect on floral shape but also some patterns unique to each city.

1 - Université de Montréal, Département de Sciences Biologiques, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, Québec, H1X2B2, Canada
2 - Montreal Botanical Garden, 4101 Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, Québec, H1X2B2, Canada

Keywords:
floral evolution
Geometric Morphometrics
Pollinators
common garden
Generalists.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Number: MACRO I004
Abstract ID:563
Candidate for Awards:None