Editorial sobre os estudos de Ecologia Funcional da Polinização

Abstract

Reproductive mechanisms are decisive for the evolution and continuation of lineages of organisms, as they are the main processes for genetic exchange between individuals and / or populations (Tremblay et al. 2005; Dennis et al. 2007; Godefroid et al. 2014). Especially for the plants, given their sessile condition, interactions with vectors in the dispersal of pollen or seeds constitute important episodes for gene flow and thus have direct implications on the generated offspring and on the trajectory of the phylogenetic lineages (Crepet & Niklas 2009). It is estimated that about 87% of the angiosperms depend on animals for pollination (Ollerton et al. 2011), while the production of fleshy fruits (indirect indicator of animal dispersion) can occur in more than 90% of the species in certain tropical forests (Herrera & Pellmyr 2002). These estimates, however, do not consider that many species, although largely dependent on animals, may present mixed pollination or dispersal strategies that contribute to guarantee their reproduction (Levin 2011; Friedman & Barrett 2009). Throughout the construction of the theoretical framework of pollination biology, significant amount of attention was given to the documentation of occurring patterns in interactions between plants and their pollinators (Rech & Westerkamp 2014). It has been documented, for example, that the prevalence of visits by birds to flowers with red and tubular corolla increase autogamy in marginal populations in species distribution, the decrease in visitation rate by bees with increasing altitude, and many other patterns related to pollination mutualism (Rech et al. 2014). In contrast, much less is known about the processes underlying the patterns described, especially from empirical studies in natural conditions. As an example, in the case of interaction between birds and flowers with red and tubular corolla, detrimental to possible preference of birds of these flowers due to intrinsic cognitive characteristics, there is a growing support for the hypothesis that the birds would face less competition with bees (Bergamo et al. 2016). In this sense, the pattern found in nature would be more related to environmental factors than to particular characteristics of the interactors. Studies like this show the potential and the need for focused investigations on possible processes underlying the patterns observed in nature. As a result of this demand shared with many other fields of biology and functional ecology (Hodson & Bryant 2012), we present here this special issue on "Functional Ecology Pollination". The purpose of this special volume left us with the perception that there would be a demand in Brazil for the promotion of research related to the functioning of interactions between plants and pollinators. From the publication of the book "Biologia da Polinização", in 2014, it became clear that one of the directions of further research in the area would be to focus in the functioning of interactions. At the same time, it is also clear that still very little is know...

Recursos florais e frutíferos para a fauna de espécies arbóreas indicadas para arborização urbana de São Paulo: em busca de uma cidade biodiversa1

“…As espécies arbóreas nativas indicadas para plantio no município de São Paulo apresentam recursos para os todos os grupos da fauna de invertebrados e vertebrados de visitantes florais e frugívoros ocorrentes na Floresta Atlântica (Rech et al 2014, Bello et al 2017. Considerando o total de espécies, há um número proporcional de espécies com dispersão abiótica, que disponibilizam recursos somente durante sua floração, e espécies com dispersão biótica, que disponibilizam recursos durante sua floração e frutificação.…”

First report on floral morphology, pollen release dynamics and behavioral biology of Xylocopa (Neoxylocopa) frontalis (Olivier, 1789) in Crotalaria juncea L. (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae)

“…Studies that emphasize the in uence of oral morphology and pollinator's behavior on reproductive success, in agricultural crops, are still not very representative. Floral attributes were demonstrated by van der Pijl (1960), as a set of convergent adaptations of owers to the sensory mechanism of biotic or abiotic vectors responsible for pollination (Vogel 1954;Faegri and van der Pijl 1960, 1961Culley et al 2002;Rech et al 2014). These attributes may restrict or guide the accessibility of visitors to resources and determine the degree of dependence on plant-pollinator relationships (Sakai et al 1998).…”