Changing How Biologists View Flowers-Color as a Perception Not a Trait

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Plant-pollinator interactions
• Insect psychophysics

Background:

• Flower color evolution is complex, requiring interdisciplinary expertise.
• Pollinator perception, decision-making, and experience significantly influence plant-pollinator interactions.
• Orchid mimicry of rewarding flowers provides a model to study pollinator decision-making processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how insect color perception explains the existence of non-rewarding flowers.
• To analyze the mimicry system of the orchid *Eulophia zeyheriana* and its model *Wahlenbergia cuspidata*.
• To apply psychophysical principles to understand pollinator decision-making in variable floral signals.

Main Methods:

• Utilized color discrimination functions and statistical distributions to model intraspecific color variations.
• Focused on the mimicry of *Wahlenbergia cuspidata* floral color by the rewardless orchid *Eulophia zeyheriana*.
• Examined the color perception of halictid bees as insect observers.

Main Results:

• Experienced insect observers could often discriminate between mimic and model flowers.
• Intraspecific variation in floral signals created overlaps in perceived color.
• Inexperienced pollinators were frequently confused by the variable color signals.

Conclusions:

• Pollinator decision-making, influenced by color perception and experience, is crucial for understanding mimicry.
• Signal variability and overlap in perceived color contribute to the success of non-rewarding mimic species.
• This study offers a novel perspective on incorporating pollinator perception into plant-pollinator interaction research.