2024-09-16 13:18:00
You may not have heard, until now, that many plants have the ability to raise their temperature above ambient temperature. This ability to generate heat is called thermogenesis, a fascinating phenomenon that played a crucial role in the evolution of insect pollination. A study published in Nature Plants and signed first by Davide PerisOur guest at Talking with Scientists examined the characteristics of today’s thermogenic plants and compared them to fossil plant lineages. The result indicates that the ability to generate heat in some plants is a phenomenon that dates back 200 million years, even before the appearance of the first flowering plants.
The ability of plants to raise the temperature of some parts of their organism a few degrees above room temperature does not fossilize. For this reason, Peris and his team focused on learning about modern plants with thermogenesis, whose lineage dates back hundreds of millions of years.
A very interesting current group are the cycads, gymnospermous plants (without flowers) which are characterized by their primitive appearance and their resemblance to palms, although they are not related to them. These plants are considered “living fossils” because they are part of one of the oldest lineages still existing on Earth. A fascinating aspect of cycad biology is their ability to generate heat in their reproductive structures. This heat is used to attract pollinating insects, such as beetles, which seek refuge in the warm cones of cycads. Other flowering plants (angiosperms), such as water lilies and magnolias, have a very ancient evolutionary origin and also generate heat in their reproductive parts.
How does thermogenesis benefit plants?
In addition to heat, thermogenesis improves the release of fragrances. Plants emit volatile compounds that are perceived by insects as signals for food or mating areas. This combination of heat and odors attracts insects, which play a critical role in transporting pollen between plants. In many species, thermogenesis is associated with large flowers and special structures that keep insects inside for a certain period, ensuring that pollen sticks to their bodies.
Another factor that promotes pollination is because heat-producing plants create a warmer environment in their flowers or inflorescences, which is particularly beneficial for pollinating insects, such as beetles and flies, which need to maintain a high temperature for flying, feeding and mating. In cold climates or at night when temperatures drop, thermogenic plants provide temporary shelter for these insects. This microclimate favors the activity of pollinators, which transport pollen from one plant to another, facilitating plant reproduction.
Although the angiosperm flowers we commonly associate with insect pollination appeared about 145 million years ago, the authors suggest that thermogenic plants, including some gymnosperms, had already developed relationships with insects much earlier. In fact, there is evidence that insects have been consuming pollen and acting as pollinators since the Carboniferous, about 300 million years ago.
These types of interactions would have facilitated the diversification of seed plants and their pollinators. Thermogenesis not only provided warmth and attractive aromas, but also a warm, safe environment where insects could shelter, feed, and mate.
We invite you to listen Davide Perisresearcher at the Botanical Institute of Barcelona (IBB), mixed center of the Superior Council of Scientific Research (CSIC) and the Consortium of the Natural Sciences Museum of Barcelona (CMCNB)
References:
@David_Peris_
Project PID2022-137316NB, funded by AEI/FEDER
Project RYC2022-037026-I funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 a ESF+.
Peris, D., Postigo-Mijarra, J.M., Peñalver, E., Pellicer, J., Labandeira, C.C., Peña-Kairath, C., Pérez-Lorenzo, I., Sauquet, H., Delclòs, X., & Barrón, E. The impact of thermogenesis on the origin of insect pollination. Natural plants.
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