Detectability and content as opposing signal characteristics in fruits
Detectability and content as opposing signal characteristics in fruits
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DOI：
10.1098/rsbl.2004.0191
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发表时间：
2004-08-07
影响因子：
4.7
通讯作者：
Schmidt, V
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Schaefer, HM;Schmidt, V
虽然水果颜色经常与消费者联系在一起，但很少被评估为信号。在这里，我们调查的信号原则的“检测”和“内容”在鸟类分散的水果。我们确定检测能力的水果和背景之间的对比度和信号的“内容”，通过相关的水果颜色和化合物。红色和黑色是全球最常见的水果颜色，与其他颜色相比，它们与背景的对比度更高，但并不表示化合物。在其他颜色中，60%的长波到短波光的变化与蛋白质，单宁和碳水化合物含量有关。由于大量营养素刺激水果去除，而酚类，但不是单宁，阻止它，这些大量营养素的信号可能会增加种子传播。酚类物质的含量没有被标记出来，因为它会降低植物的适应性。单宁信号可能是针对水果害虫，而不是传播。总之，植物可能会采用不同的信号策略匹配显着的信号在红色和黑色的水果，而其他颜色的信号水果质量。后者意味着营养质量和果实防御是视觉传达的。
Although often associated with consumers, fruit colours have rarely been assessed as signals. Here, we investigate the signal principles of 'detectability' and 'content' in bird-dispersed fruits. We determined detectability as the contrast between fruit and background and signal 'content' by correlating fruit colours and compounds. Red and black, the most common fruit colours globally, contrast more against background than other colours but do not indicate compounds. In other colours, 60% of the variation in long- to shortwave light correlated with protein, tannin and carbohydrate content. Because macronutrients stimulated fruit removal, while phenols, but not tannins, deterred it, signalling these macronutrients probably increases seed dispersal. Phenolic content was not signalled because it would reduce plants' fitness. Signalling tannins might be directed towards fruit pests rather than dispersers. In conclusion, plants may employ differential signalling strategies matching conspicuous signals in red and black fruits while other colours signal fruit quality. The latter implies that nutrient quality and fruit defence are communicated visually.