Morning glories reveal 96% drop in adaptation as pollinator pressure reshapes evolution

Article excerpt

Facing both climate change and a crashing pollinator population, plants may be evolving to attract pollinators rather than adapting to a warming climate, and the trade-off has resulted in a steep decline in plants' rate of adaptation, according to a University of Michigan study. The researchers, studying morning glories, observed a 96% decrease in the population's rate of adaptation over nine years. The declining rate of adaptation could affect farmers, who deal with morning glory as an agricultural nuisance. The research is published in the journal Evolution Letters.