Elevation gradient flower spectrophotometry

Knowledge graph centered on Elevation gradient flower spectrophotometry with 70 nodes and 194 connections. Top connected: Bombus, Ipomopsis, Delphinium, I. aggregata, Ipomopsis aggregata.

Method synopsis

Systematic collection and spectrophotometric analysis of flowers across elevation gradients to quantify color variation. Targets pollinator-visible flower regions and converts reflectance to pollinator visual spaces.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 4 papers using this protocol.

Procedure from a recent peer-reviewed implementation

Steps below were extracted from the most recent peer-reviewed implementation of this protocol in the corpus — Consistent shifts in pollinator-relevant floral coloration along a Rocky Mountain elevation gradient (2018), Journal of Ecology. The protocol was originally introduced by The Effect of Climate Change on Plant Communities in the Rocky Mountains: How floral traits differ along an elevational gradient and in reciprocally transplanted communities (2018). Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Collect floral specimens for spectral analysis
   For each species whose spectra were analysed, a full voucher specimen was deposited in the RMBL herbarium, and three individual flowers (each from a different plant) were collected for analysis. For family Asteraceae, an inflorescence is morphologically integrated to function as a single flower, and these were treated as single inflorescences as 'flowers'.
   Quantities: 110 forb and shrub species, 3 individual flowers per species from different plants, voucher specimens for each speciesDuration: 2009, 2013, and 2016 collection periods, within 12 hr of collection for spectral readingsConditions: Collected from general RMBL area
   Equipment: Collection materials, herbarium supplies
2. Measure floral reflectance spectra
   Spectrometer readings were taken on each flower using an Avantes model 2048 spectrometer, a bifurcated coaxial fibre optic reflectance probe (Avantes FCR-7uv200-2-ME) and an AvaLight-DH-S xenon light source (Avantes BV, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands). Calibration was first made relative to a diffuse white PTFE tile (Avantes WS-2). Integration time was 10 ms. Measurements were taken with the fibre optic probe held perpendicularly to, and at 8.0 mm from, the flower surface at 45° or 90° probe angle.
   Quantities: 3 readings per flower (one per zone), 8.0 mm distance, 45° or 90° angle, 10 ms integration timeDuration: Within 12 hr of collection

Typical Equipment

• Avantes model 2048 spectrophotometer
• coolers
• R software
• pavo package

Output Measurements

• reflectance spectra
• wavelength band reflectance
• bee visual space values
• fly visual space values

Papers Using This Protocol (4)

Species Studied With This Protocol