AI Insight
A University of Michigan study of morning glories found that plants facing both climate change and declining pollinator populations showed a 96% decrease in their rate of adaptation over nine years. The research suggests plants are prioritizing evolutionary changes to attract pollinators rather than adapting to warming temperatures, resulting in a significant evolutionary trade-off. This represents a measurable shift in how environmental pressures are shaping plant evolution.
Why it matters
The findings have practical implications for agriculture, as morning glories are common weeds that may evolve differently than expected under climate change. Understanding these evolutionary trade-offs could help predict how both crops and invasive species respond to multiple simultaneous environmental stressors.
Understand the Science
Facing both climate change and a crashing pollinator population, plants may be evolving to attract pollinators rather than adapting to a warming climate, and the trade-off has resulted in a steep decline in plants’ rate of adaptation, according to a University of Michigan study. The researchers, studying morning glories, observed a 96% decrease in the population’s rate of adaptation over nine years. The declining rate of adaptation could affect farmers, who deal with morning glory as an agricultural nuisance. The research is published in the journal Evolution Letters.
Source: Morning glories reveal 96% drop in adaptation as pollinator pressure reshapes evolution