How does land-use affect intraspecific variation in flower traits and subsequently plant-pollinator interactions and pollination? (IntraFlor)

种内变异是进化的基石，也是物种局部适应的先决条件，从而使它们能够抵御环境变化。种内变异也可以强烈地影响生物之间的相互作用，因为相互作用发生在个体水平上，取决于个体相互作用伙伴的特定表型。在IntraFlor中，我们的目标是了解个体表型变异（即种内变异）对相互作用模式和相互作用结果的重要性，重点关注草原上开花植物与传粉者的相互作用。以往的研究和我们自己在生物多样性探索的草地样地收集的初步数据表明，土地利用和管理类型对那些已知影响传粉者访问模式和植物-传粉者相互作用的花性状的种内变异有很强的影响。在IntraFlor中，我们希望(i)进一步调查和量化草地管理和群体遗传多样性对这些花性状种内变异的影响，（ii）揭示植物群体/群落内部和之间的这种性状可塑性对个体传粉者行为和植物生殖适合度的影响。在三个工作包（WP）中，我们将：(i)量化不同类型草地管理、当地种群遗传多样性和选定植物种内形态、生理和化学花性状跨时空变异之间的相关性；（ii）研究花性状的种内变异如何与传粉媒介个体的觅食模式相关；（iii）确定种内性状变异如何影响植物个体传粉成功的差异。我们将结合形态学和生理学测量（如展示大小，花高，花瓣颜色）现场与实验室分析化学性状（如花香味，花粉化学）和遗传结构和植物群体的多样性。性状表型变异对传粉者行为和传粉成功的影响将通过田间观察和温室试验确定。从IntraFlor中获得的信息将极大地增强我们对植物性状和土地利用之间的相互作用如何影响传粉者个体行为、后续相互作用模式以及传粉生态系统功能的理解。

Intraspecific variation constitutes a cornerstone for evolution and a prerequisite for the local adaptation of species and thus their resilience against environmental change. Intraspecific variation can also strongly influence interactions between organisms, because interactions happen at the individual level and depend on the specific phenotypes of individual interaction partners. In IntraFlor, we aim to understand the importance of variation in individual phenotypes (i.e. intraspecific variation) for interaction patterns and interaction outcomes, focusing on flowering plant-pollinator interactions in grasslands. Previous studies and our own preliminary data collected at the grassland plots of the Biodiversity Exploratories indicate strong effects of land-use and management type on intraspecific variation in those flower traits that are known to affect pollinator visitation patterns and thus plant-pollinator interactions. In IntraFlor, we want to (i) further investigate and quantify the effect of grassland management and population genetic diversity on intraspecific variation in these flower traits, and (ii) unravel the consequences of such trait plasticity within and between plant populations/communities for individual pollinator behavior and plant reproductive fitness. Within three working packages (WP), we will: (i) quantify correlations between different types of grassland management, local population genetic diversity and intraspecific variation in morphological, physiological and chemical flower traits of selected plant species across space and time, (ii) investigate how intraspecific variation in flower traits relates to foraging patterns of individual pollinators, and (iii) determine how intraspecific trait variation affects differences in pollination success of individual plants. We will combine morphological and physiological measurements (e.g. display size, flower height, petal color) on-site with laboratory analyses of chemical traits (e.g. flower scent, pollen chemistry) and of the genetic structure and diversity of plant populations. Effects of phenotypic variation in traits on pollinator behavior and pollination success will be determined through field observations and a greenhouse experiment. Insights gained from IntraFlor will greatly enhance our understanding of how the interaction between intraspecific variation in floral traits and land-use affect individual pollinator behavior, subsequent interaction patterns and thus the ecosystem function of pollination.