Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10223312 | Acta Ecologica Sinica | 2018 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
In addition to their ornamental value, butterflies provide value to flowering plants through pollination, which can improve their heterosis. Studying the relationship between butterflies and flowers is useful for understanding the adaptive relationship between them. By observing the pollinating and feeding behaviour of Aporia bieti in the Xiama forest, Gansu, we explored the adaptive relationship between A. bieti proboscis size and the corolla tube length of the flowers. To eliminate interference from the butterfly's sense of smell, we used foam flowers instead of real flowers. The results indicated that (1) of the red, yellow, pink, purple, and white flowers tested, yellow flowers were preferred; (2) there was no distinct difference in the preferences of A. bieti for large- (45Â mm) and small- (25Â mm) sized flowers; and (3) A. bieti proboscis length was significantly related to the corolla tube length of the flowers fed on by the butterfly, which suggests co-evolution between butterfly proboscis length and the length of the pollen tube.
Keywords
Related Topics
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Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Authors
Shuqiu Zhang, Jimin Han, Quan Qian, Jing Zhao, Xiuping Ma, Sen Song,