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The evolution of fruit scent: phylogenetic and developmental constraints
Omer Nevo1,2,3, Kim Valenta4, Annemarie Kleiner5
1Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany. omer.nevo@evolutionary-ecology.de.
BMC Evolutionary Biology
|October 28, 2020
Summary
Fruit scent evolution is not limited by ancestry but is constrained by developmental pathways. Ripe fruit scents share biosynthetic origins with unripe fruits, indicating developmental limitations.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Evolutionary biology
- Chemical ecology
Background:
- Fruit scent attracts seed dispersers, aiding plant reproduction.
- Fruit scent evolution is influenced by selective pressures and constraints.
- Phylogenetic and developmental constraints impact trait evolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of phylogenetic constraints in fruit scent evolution.
- To assess developmental constraints on ripe fruit scent composition.
Main Methods:
- Calculated phylogenetic signal in ripe fruits of 98 species.
- Examined chemical similarity and biosynthetic pathways between ripe and unripe fruit scents.
Main Results:
- Fruit scent showed little phylogenetic signal, with no greater similarity among related taxa.
- Ripe and unripe fruits shared similar biosynthetic pathways for scent compounds, despite chemical differences.
Conclusions:
- Fruit scent evolution is not restricted by common ancestry.
- Developmental constraints, linked to unripe fruit needs, likely shape ripe fruit scent profiles.
Keywords:
Developmental constraintsFrugivoryOlfactory communicationPhylogenetic signalPlant evolutionSeed dispersalMore Related Videos
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