Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses

Biological Clocks and Seasonal Responses

The circadian—or biological—clock is an intrinsic, timekeeping, molecular mechanism that allows plants to coordinate physiological activities over 24-hour cycles called circadian rhythms. Photoperiodism is a collective term for the biological responses of plants to variations in the relative lengths of dark and light periods. The period of light-exposure is called the photoperiod.

Pollination and Flower Structure

Pollination and Flower Structure

Flowers are the reproductive, seed-producing structures of angiosperms. Typically, flowers consist of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. Sepals and petals are the vegetative flower organs. Stamens and carpels are the reproductive organs.

Light Acquisition

Light Acquisition

In order to produce glucose, plants need to capture sufficient light energy. Many modern plants have evolved leaves specialized for light acquisition. Leaves can be only millimeters in width or tens of meters wide, depending on the environment. Due to competition for sunlight, evolution has driven the evolution of increasingly larger leaves and taller plants, to avoid shading by their neighbors with contaminant elaboration of root architecture and mechanisms to transport water and nutrients.

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the biosynthesis of the...

Morphogenesis

Morphogenesis

Plant morphogenesis—the development of a plant’s form and structure—involves several overlapping developmental processes, including growth and cell differentiation. Precursor cells differentiate into specific cell types, which are organized into the tissues and organ systems that make up the functional plant.

Microbe-Plant Interactions

Microbe-Plant Interactions

Microbe-plant interactions represent a dynamic spectrum of associations shaped by intricate chemical signaling. These interactions can be neutral, beneficial, or detrimental, and profoundly influence plant physiology, growth, and ecosystem function. The plant microbiome, comprising bacteria, fungi, archaea, protists, and viruses, plays a pivotal role in mediating these effects through surface colonization, internal colonization, or systemic symbiosis.Mutualistic associations, particularly with...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Investigating a Potential Bias in Resurrection Experiments to Measure Adaptive Evolution of Flowering Time.

Ecology and evolution·2026

Same author

Perceived Public Health Risks Associated with Bats on a Southwest Indian Ocean Island.

EcoHealth·2026

Same author

Longitudinal and cross-sectional selection on flowering traits in a self-incompatible annual.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2026

Same author

The capacity for adaptation to climate warming in a naturalized annual plant (Brassica rapa).

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2025

Same author

Foliar Herbivory Suppresses Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonisation by Weakening Symbiosis Signalling in Root Exudates.

Plant, cell & environment·2025

Same author

Microbial Interactions Influence the Chemical Defense of Wild and Cultivated Tomato Species.

Journal of chemical ecology·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Forced Flowering in Mandarin Trees under Phytotron Conditions

Forced Flowering in Mandarin Trees under Phytotron Conditions

Published on: March 6, 2019

Time after time: flowering phenology and biotic interactions.

Jelmer A Elzinga¹, Anne Atlan, Arjen Biere

¹Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, CH 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|June 19, 2007

Summary

Biotic interactions, like pollinators and seed predators, influence plant flowering times. Understanding these relationships is key to explaining plant phenology variation.

More Related Videos

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Published on: November 25, 2016

High Throughput Image-Based Phenotyping for Determining Morphological and Physiological Responses to Single and Combined Stresses in Potato

High Throughput Image-Based Phenotyping for Determining Morphological and Physiological Responses to Single and Combined Stresses in Potato

Published on: June 7, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Forced Flowering in Mandarin Trees under Phytotron Conditions

Forced Flowering in Mandarin Trees under Phytotron Conditions

Published on: March 6, 2019

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Published on: November 25, 2016

High Throughput Image-Based Phenotyping for Determining Morphological and Physiological Responses to Single and Combined Stresses in Potato

High Throughput Image-Based Phenotyping for Determining Morphological and Physiological Responses to Single and Combined Stresses in Potato

Published on: June 7, 2024

Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Plant Science

Background:

Plant flowering phenology variation is traditionally attributed to abiotic factors and biological clocks.
Heritable variation exists, and biotic interactions can significantly modulate selection on flowering timing.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the literature on how biotic interactions shape plant flowering phenology.
To identify key factors causing variation in these interactions and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

Literature review synthesizing existing studies on plant phenology and biotic interactions.
Analysis of selection pressures exerted by pollinators and seed predators.

Main Results:

Pollinators generally favor peak or earlier flowering.
Seed predators tend to favor off-peak or later flowering.
The impact of these interactions varies significantly across different study systems.

Conclusions:

Biotic interactions play a crucial role in shaping plant flowering phenology.
Future research should investigate dispersal ability, ecological specialization, and habitat characteristics to understand interaction variability.