Color signals of bee-pollinated flowers: the significance of natural leaf background

Abstract

Premise: Flower color is a primary pollinator attractant and generally adjusted to the cognitive system of the pollinators. The perception of flower color depends on the visual system of pollinators and also on environmental factors such as light conditions and the background against which flowers are displayed. Methods: Using bee-pollinated Fabaceae species as a model, we analyzed flower color diversity and compared flower color signals considering both the standard green and the natural leaf background of two tropical seasonally dry vegetations—a mountain rupestrian grassland (campo rupestre) and a woody savanna (cerrado)—compared to a nontropical Mediterranean shrubland. Results: By using natural background, bees discriminated color for 58% of the flowers in the campo rupestre and for only 43% in cerrado. Both vegetations were surpassed by 75% of bee color discrimination in Mediterranean vegetation. Chromatic contrast and purity were similar among the three vegetation types. Green contrast and brightness were similar between the tropical vegetations but differed from the Mediterranean shrubland. Green contrast differences were lost when using a standard green background, and most variables (purity, green contrast, and brightness) differed according to the background (natural or standard green) in all vegetations. Conclusions: The natural background influenced bee perception of flower color regardless of vegetation. The background of the campo rupestre promoted green contrast for flowers, ensuring flower detection by pollinators and, along with bees, may also act as a selective pressure driving the diversity of flower colors in Fabaceae species. We highlight the importance of considering the natural background coloration when analyzing flower color signals.