Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Bumblebee preference for symmetrical flowers.

A P Møller1

  • 1Department of Population Biology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|March 14, 1995
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Large-scale changes in marine and terrestrial environments drive the population dynamics of long-tailed ducks breeding in Siberia.

Scientific reports·2022
Same author

Author Correction: Effects of climate variation on bird escape distances modulate community responses to global change.

Scientific reports·2021
Same author

Effects of climate variation on bird escape distances modulate community responses to global change.

Scientific reports·2021
Same author

Reduced colonization by soil invertebrates to irradiated decomposing wood in Chernobyl.

The Science of the total environment·2018
Same author

Immunoglobulin plasma concentration in relation to egg laying and mate ornamentation of female barn swallows (Hirundo rustica).

Journal of evolutionary biology·2017
Same author

Escape from predators and genetic variance in birds.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2017
Same journal

In This Issue.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Long-term cultural continuity across the Neanderthal-modern human sequence at Üçağızlı II Cave, northern Levant.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Dolphins use names to remember whom to avoid.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Retraction for Shaked and Frenkel, Curiouser and curiouser: Meningeal lymphoid structures in the aging brain.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Small but mighty: The outsized role of small water bodies in the global carbon cycle.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same journal

Functional traits produce conditional outcomes in different community contexts.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
See all related articles

Floral symmetry in plants like Epilobium angustifolium reliably indicates developmental quality and influences pollinator attraction. Symmetrical flowers offer greater rewards, impacting plant reproduction and potentially explaining embryo abortion.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Plant Science

Background:

  • Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) quantifies developmental instability and reflects phenotypic quality.
  • Floral symmetry is hypothesized to signal developmental homeostasis and influence pollinator interactions.
  • Understanding the link between floral symmetry, quality, and pollinator preference is crucial for plant reproductive success.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if floral symmetry in Epilobium angustifolium reflects phenotypic quality (e.g., nectar rewards).
  • To determine if pollinators, specifically bumblebees, respond to floral symmetry.
  • To explore the role of floral symmetry in plant development and reproductive strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted field observations and experiments on Epilobium angustifolium.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Measured floral and leaf asymmetry and correlated it with size and nectar production.
  • Manipulated floral symmetry to test causal relationships with pollinator preference.

    • Main Results:

    • Floral asymmetry was negatively related to petal length; leaf asymmetry was positively related to leaf width.
    • Bumblebee-visited flowers were larger and more symmetrical than neighboring flowers.
    • Symmetrical flowers produced more nectar, causally explaining bumblebee preference for symmetry.

    Conclusions:

    • Floral symmetry in E. angustifolium is a reliable indicator of nectar production and developmental quality.
    • Pollinators prefer symmetrical flowers due to enhanced rewards, influencing pollen transport.
    • Floral fluctuating asymmetry may be linked to developmental selection and embryo abortion in outcrossing plants.