Transcontinental patterns in floral pigment abundance among animal-pollinated species
Flower color arises primarily from pigments that serve dual functions: attracting pollinators and mitigating environmental stresses. Among major pigment types, anthocyanins and UV-absorbing phenylpropanoids (UAPs) fulfill one or both roles and should be widespread. Our review of the UV-vis absorption profiles of major floral pigments demonstrates that UAPs are the primary UV protectants. Next, we analyzed the floral pigment composition of 926 animal-pollinated species from California, Southern Spain, and Southeastern Brazil. UAPs were ubiquitous (the "dark matter" of the flower). Among the remaining pigment types, ~ 56% of species had anthocyanins, ~ 37% had carotenoids, and ~ 17% had chlorophylls (some species had > 1 pigment type). Pigment abundance varied in response to abiotic and biotic factors, particularly with pollinator type in California. Despite regional differences in environmental filtering, pollination guilds, and relatedness, UAPs are omnipresent and there is a transcontinental stable distribution of flower colors and their underlying floral pigments.
Authors
- Maria Gabriela Gutierrez Camargo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3536-6542)
- Leonor Patrícia Cerdeira Morellato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5265-8988)
- Melissa León‐Osper (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0090-1533)
- M. L. Buide (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9029-0782)
- Vittorio Rossi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4090-6117)
- Montserrat Arista (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0914-9525)
- José Carlos del Valle (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6023-6208)
- Nancy Rodríguez-Castañeda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9321-4822)
- Justen B. Whittall (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9597-9036)
- Pedro L. Ortiz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4150-565X)
- Eduardo Narbona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1790-6821)
- Katie Conrad
- Íñigo Pulgar
- Joey Hernandez-Mena
Institutions
- Santa Clara University (US)
- Institute for Biodiversity (DE)
- Universidad de Sevilla (ES)
- Universidad Pablo de Olavide (ES)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2025-05-07
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94709-4
- Citations
- 8
- Primary Topic
- Plant and animal studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 24.21
Funders
- Universidad de Sevilla
- Santa Clara University
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Agencia Estatal de Investigación