Attractiveness to Pollinators: A Plant's Dilemma

Abstract

At first glance attracting more pollinators enhances pollen transfer to other plants in the population and increases fitness. One would expect zoophilous plants to be as attractive as possible. The fact that not all plants have large, showy flowers or produce enormous nectar rewards is usually explained by the costs involved. We will show that often plants should not be too attractive, even if being attractive is not costly.