Brown Eyed Susan multispectral

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Rudbeckia fulgida aka Brown Eyed Susan

Human vision, Ultraviolet vision, simulated Butterfly vision, simulated Bee vision
(left to right, top to bottom)

 

[Asher Kelman]

Rudbeckia fulgida aka Brown Eyed Susan

Human vision, Ultraviolet vision, simulated Butterfly vision, simulated Bee vision
(left to right, top to bottom)

Klaus,

These are so remarkably different patterning. Has anyone made any substantial progress in deciphering some of the wvolutionary advantages of the variations we see here? Is there anything about the selective pressure on this plant's survival over the eons of its development that might suggest some advantage to either the plant or its pollinators?

To me the first one with human vision is the most beautiful, as expected. But we do not, AFAIK, excerpt any selective pressure on this plant!

Asher

 

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Well, it is ongoing scietific research, in which I participate a bit, but of course there is still a lot to discover....

I have published a bit about flowers competing in a natural environment including some scientific measurements and photographic examples:
http://photographyoftheinvisibleworld.blogspot.de/2016/09/how-to-stand-out-in-crowd-gazania.html

An example with two yellow flowers, one having a prominent UV pattern:

 

[Asher Kelman]

Klaus,

The differences in UV reflection are very strong. Has anyone studied total accumulated visits of pollinators and the percent fertilization of ova in this comparison of UV reflectivity?

Asher

 

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Klaus,

The differences in UV reflection are very strong. Has anyone studied total accumulated visits of pollinators and the percent fertilization of ova in this comparison of UV reflectivity?

Asher

no clue, but evolution gives you an answer: it it wouldn't be beneficial, it would have not developed and stayed to last! Nature does not waste energy and effort...only humans do.