Study finds 96% drop in morning glories' adaptation rate as pollinator pressure rises

A University of Michigan research team has found that plants facing simultaneous pressures from climate change and a collapsing pollinator population may be prioritizing traits that attract pollinators over those that confer heat tolerance. The trade‑off, observed in a nine‑year study of morning glories, resulted in a 96 percent reduction in the species’ overall rate of adaptation, suggesting that the evolutionary response to warming temperatures is being compromised.

The decline in adaptive capacity could have practical implications for agriculture, as morning glories are considered a nuisance crop by many farmers. The findings, which appear in the journal *Evolution Letters*, highlight the potential for reduced plant resilience in changing ecosystems and underscore the interconnected challenges posed by climate stressors and pollinator loss.