Data from: Variation in flower size and shape of Impatiens capensis is correlated with urbanization in Montreal, Canada

Urbanization is changing the conditions in which many species live,
forcing them to adjust to these novel environments. Floral size and shape
are critical traits for the reproduction of plants pollinated by animals
as they are involved in the attraction of pollinators and in efficient
pollination. Variation in size and shape could be affected by urbanization
via its modification of the abiotic environment (habitat fragmentation,
water availability, temperature, soil properties), or via its impact on
the biotic environment of plants (pollination, herbivory). Although
numerous studies have assessed the impact of urbanization on pollinator
communities and on many plant traits, few have investigated its impact on
floral size and shape while quantifying the proportion of the total
urbanization effect that is due to biotic interactions. In this study, we
tested if urbanization and pollinator visitation rates affects the flower
shape of the spotted jewelweed, Impatiens capensis. We quantified size and
shape of flowers in frontal and profile views using geometric
morphometrics for 228 individuals from six populations from the region of
Montreal, Canada. Pollinator visitation rates were estimated at each site
and the main pollinators were found to be bumblebees, honeybees and
hummingbirds. We found that floral size and shape are significantly
correlated with urbanization as measured by the amount of vegetation in
the surrounding environment of the plants (mean normalized vegetation
index, NDVI) and by the visitation rates of bumblebees and honey bees.
Partitioning of the total flower shape variation suggests that
urbanization affects flower shape through abiotic factors and via its
impact on pollinator visitation rates. While further studies from other
cities are necessary to confirm the role of urbanization in shaping the
floral shape of I. capensis, these results support the idea that
urbanization could affect flower shapes.