The correlation patterns between I.pumila flower traits and between their developmental stability in two natural habitats with contrasting light conditions

Abstract

Morphological variability and developmental stability of flower traits were examined in two natural habitats situated in the protected Deliblato Sands Special Natural Reserve. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated among flower morphological traits and among developmental stability of I. pumila flower traits in natural habitats with contrasting light intensity (full daylight and vegetation canopy). The most phenotypic correlations among the flower parts were found to be moderate or low in magnitude except for the strong positive correlation between the fall and standard length in both habitats (full daylight r = 0.88 and vegetation canopy r = 0.92). The correlations between the developmental stability of flower traits were low and statistically insignificant in both habitats. The congruence of the correlation matrix of I. pumila flower morphological traits (full daylight and vegetation canopy habitats) was strong and statistically significant (r = 0.83, p < 0.05). The correlation matrices of developmental stability of flower traits between the two habitats were not statistically similar. The correlation matrix of morphological traits and correlation matrices of developmental stability of the same characteristic differed between habitats. In the open habitats, these matrices were different while in shaded habitats were similar to each other (r = 0.56, p < 0.05), according to the results of Mantel test. The floral morphological variation in I. pumila appeared to be tightly integrated regardless of ambient light conditions. The strong correlation between the fall and standard in both habitats with alternative light intensity indicates close connection in their developmental process.