DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10650143
title: Data for: Variations of floral temperature in changing weather conditions

description: Abstract

1.   Floral temperature is a flower characteristic that has potential to impact the fitness of flowering plants and their pollinators. Likewise, the presence of floral temperature patterns, areas of contrasting temperature across the flower, can have similar impacts on the fitness of both mutualists.2.    It is currently poorly understood how floral temperature changes under the influence of different weather conditions, and how floral traits may moderate these changes. Such weather dependency will impact how stable floral temperatures are over time and their utility to plant and pollinator. Stability of floral temperatures cues is likely to facilitate effective plant-pollinator interactions and play a role in the plant’s reproductive success.  3.    We use thermal imaging to monitor how floral temperatures and temperature patterns of four flower species (Cistus ‘snow fire’ and ‘snow white’, Coreopsis verticillata and Geranium psilostemon) change with several weather variables (illumination, temperature; windspeed; cloud cover; humidity and pressure) during times that pollinators are active.4.     All weather variables influenced floral temperature in one or more species. The directionality of these relationships were similar across species. In all species light conditions (illumination) had the greatest influence on floral temperatures overall, and in generation of contrasting temperatures between parts of the flower, temperature patterns. The effect sizes of other weather variables were lower and more varied across the four species. Most likely, floral traits such as pigmentation and structure influence these relationships between weather conditions and generation of floral temperatures. 5.    Synthesis: Floral temperatures and the extent to which flowers showed contrasting temperature patterns were influenced predominantly by light conditions. However, several weather variables had additional, lesser, influences. Furthermore, differences in floral traits, likely pigmentation and structure, likely resulted in differences in temperature responses to given conditions between species and different parts of the same flower. However, floral temperatures and contrasting temperature patterns that are sufficiently elevated for detection by pollinators were maintained across most conditions if flowers received moderate illumination. This suggests the presence of elevated floral temperature and contrasting temperature patterns are fairly constant and may have potential to influence plant-pollinator interactions across weather conditions.

Guide for use

The raw data and code for analyses and figures from ‘Variations of floral temperature in changing weather conditions’ are contained here. Full detail on methods of data collection and analysis are available in that publication, listed in related publications of this dataset. Floral temperature measurements included within this datafile are extracted from the thermograph dataset, ‘Thermography data for: Variations of floral temperature in changing weather conditions’, is listed as a related publication.

Within this file are two .zip datafiles with corresponding text documents.

The first zip file is 'correlation of weather data 20240129.zip', this datafile contains the raw data and code for our analyses of correlation between weather variables and differences between weather variables species experience. For full details on this zip files contents, see the word document 'correlation of weather data key.docx' provided with this dataset.

The second zip file is 'combined datafiles for analysis 20240129.zip' This datafile contains the code and raw data for our analyses of weather effects on floral temperature. For full details on this zip files contents, see the word document 'combined datafiles for analysis key.docx' provided with this dataset.

Data source statement

This datafile contains weather data from 2016 and 2017 provided by the Pembrey Sands weather station obtained from the Met Office (UK) National Meteorological library and archive. Which data is indicated in the dataset key files.

The following copyright statement applies to the 2016 data: © Crown Copyright 2016. Information provided by the National Meteorological Library and Archive – Met Office, UK

The following copyright statement applies to the 2017 data: © Crown Copyright 2017. Information provided by the National Meteorological Library and Archive – Met Office, UK