Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33552110›Full record

ReviewFrontiers in plant science2020

Fragmentary Blue: Resolving the Rarity Paradox in Flower Colors.

Adrian G Dyer, Anke Jentsch, Martin Burd, Jair E Garcia, Justyna Giejsztowt, Maria G G Camargo, Even Tjørve, Kathleen M C Tjørve, Peter White, Mani Shrestha

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Frontiers in plant science, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
26citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

26 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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  6. Bees, flowers and UV.Plant biology (Stuttgart, Germany) · 2025
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Article
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  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Reproductive strategies of two color morphs ofFrontiers in plant science · 2025
    Article
  16. The evolution of flavonoid biosynthesis.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2024
    Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Adrian G DyerSchool of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Anke JentschDepartment of Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
Martin BurdSchool of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Jair E GarciaSchool of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Justyna GiejsztowtDepartment of Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center for Ecology and Environmental Research, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.
Maria G G CamargoPhenology Lab, Biosciences Institute, Department of Biodiversity, UNESP - São Paulo State University, São Paulo, Brazil.
Even TjørveInland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway.
Kathleen M C TjørveInland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer, Norway.
Peter WhiteDepartment of Biology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.
Mani ShresthaSchool of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Blue is a favored color of many humans. While blue skies and oceans are a common visual experience, this color is less frequently observed in flowers. We first review how blue has been important in human culture, and thus how our perception of blue has likely influenced the way of scientifically evaluating signals produced in nature, including approaches as disparate as Goethe's Farbenlehre, Linneaus' plant taxonomy, and current studies of plant-pollinator networks. We discuss the fact that most animals, however, have different vision to humans; for example, bee pollinators have trichromatic vision based on UV-, Blue-, and Green-sensitive photoreceptors with innate preferences for predominantly short-wavelength reflecting colors, including what we perceive as blue. The subsequent evolution of blue flowers may be driven by increased competition for pollinators, both because of a harsher environment (as at high altitude) or from high diversity and density of flowering plants (as in nutrient-rich meadows). The adaptive value of blue flowers should also be reinforced by nutrient richness or other factors, abiotic and biotic, that may reduce extra costs of blue-pigments synthesis. We thus provide new perspectives emphasizing that, while humans view blue as a less frequently evolved color in nature, to understand signaling, it is essential to employ models of biologically relevant observers. By doing so, we conclude that short wavelength reflecting blue flowers are indeed frequent in nature when considering the color vision and preferences of bees.

Indexed as

biogeographyblueelevationflower colorland useplant diversityproductivity

Identifiers

PMID33552110
PMCPMC7859648

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.