Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/ New Phytologistarrow_drop_down
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
New Phytologist
Article . 2025 . Peer-reviewed
License: CC BY
Data sources: Crossref
image/svg+xml art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos Open Access logo, converted into svg, designed by PLoS. This version with transparent background. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg art designer at PLoS, modified by Wikipedia users Nina, Beao, JakobVoss, and AnonMoos http://www.plos.org/
PubMed Central
Article . 2025
License: CC BY
Data sources: PubMed Central
New Phytologist
Article . 2026
versions View all 3 versions
addClaim

Climate adaptation and functional constraints drive pollen evolution in Apiales

Authors: Jakub Baczyński; Krzysztof Spalik; John M. Burke; Łukasz Banasiak;

Climate adaptation and functional constraints drive pollen evolution in Apiales

Abstract

Summary Pollen grains exhibit remarkable morphological diversity, shaped by selective pressures from environmental factors and mechanical constraints. Here, we investigate macroevolutionary patterns of pollen morphology in Apiales, an order of angiosperms with significant ecological and geographical diversity, to disentangle the roles of climate and functional constraints. We analyzed pollen morphology in 158 species of Apiales using morphometric and multivariate evolutionary approaches to evaluate the influence of climate and biomechanical constraints on traits such as pollen wall thickness, aperture structure, and overall grain shape, and to test for evidence of harmomegathy‐related adaptation. Our results reveal three key findings. First, climate showed no significant effect on pollen size, challenging long‐standing assumptions. Second, climate strongly influences pollen architecture, with drier, more seasonal climates being consistently associated with reduced apertures and thicker pollen walls. Finally, we detected an evolutionary lag, with changes in pollen wall thickness preceding aperture modifications, indicating that biomechanical constraints have shaped evolutionary trajectories. These results demonstrate that climate‐driven adaptations in pollen architecture are mediated by functional constraints, consistent with a dynamic interaction between environmental selection and biomechanical properties of the pollen wall.

Keywords

Research, Climate, Pollen, Biological Evolution, Adaptation, Physiological, Biomechanical Phenomena

  • BIP!
    Impact byBIP!
    selected citations
    These citations are derived from selected sources.
    This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    1
    popularity
    This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
    influence
    This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
    Average
    impulse
    This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
    Average
Powered by OpenAIRE graph
Found an issue? Give us feedback
selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
1
Average
Average
Average
Green
hybrid