Dynamic visual effects enhance flower conspicuousness but compromise color perception.

ABSTRACT: Dynamic visual effects such as glossiness are taxonomically widespread and have evolved repeatedly across the tree of life. Their changeable nature poses a challenge for reliable signaling, because for signals to be reliable, they should be consistent. Glossy visual effects defy that principle, because the bright, directional pulse of light that dominates their appearance is highly variable across space and time. Here, we investigate how dynamic light reflections influence signal efficacy using bumblebees as a model of insect vision and plant-pollinator interactions. We show that glossy floral signals occur across Angiosperm lineages. Through behavioral experiments with artificial stimuli that mimic the spectral and spatial reflectance properties of glossy and matte floral surfaces, we dem

SUBMITTER: Dietz A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12652320 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature