Phenotypic plasticity in floral scent in response to nutrient, but not water, availability in the perennial plant Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae)

Floral scent is an important mediator of plant-pollinator interactions. Multiple recent studies report ample intraspecific scent variation among populations and individuals. Yet, few studies have estimated effects of phenotypic plasticity on floral scent in response to differing environmental factors.

In this study, we investigated effects of nutrient and water availability on floral scent in self-compatible and self-incompatible populations of the perennial herb Arabis alpina. We subjected greenhouse grown plants to different nutrient and water treatments in a crossed design, examined the effects on floral scent emission rate and composition, compared the level of plasticity to that of other plant traits, and tested for a potential cost of scent production.

For both self-compatible and self-incompatible populations, the per-flower scent emission rate was 1.2-4 times higher when nutrients were abundant, but this effect explained little variation in scent emission rate and was limi...