A catch-all leguminous tree: Erythrina velutina visited and pollinated by vertebrates at an oceanic island

Sazima, Iván; Sazima, Cristina; Sazima, Marlies

doi:10.1071/bt08179

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 9 publications

(8 reference statements)

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“…Ecological isolation also favors the appearance of opportunistic animal species that exploit nectar as a novel food resource (hereafter ''opportunistic nectar-feeding species''). In oceanic islands, such species form small pollinator assemblages often with highly contrasted life modes (e.g., the disparate physiologies, cognitive and locomotion systems of birds and lizards; Olesen andValido 2003, 2004;Sazima et al 2009). The weaker nectar dependence of these opportunistic pollinators should lead, a priori, to reduced QNC and QLC, and increased effectiveness variance, compared to assemblages of more specialized nectarivores.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantity and quality components of effectiveness in insular pollinator assemblages

2013

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Ecologically isolated habitats (e.g., oceanic islands) favor the appearance of small assemblages of pollinators, generally characterized by highly contrasted life modes (e.g., birds, lizards), and opportunistic nectar-feeding behavior. Different life modes should promote a low functional equivalence among pollinators, while opportunistic nectar feeding would lead to reduced and unpredictable pollination effectiveness (PE) compared to more specialized nectarivores. Dissecting the quantity (QNC) and quality (QLC) components of PE, we studied the opportunistic bird-lizard pollinator assemblage of Isoplexis canariensis from the Canary Islands to experimentally evaluate these potential characteristics. Birds and lizards showed different positions in the PE landscape, highlighting their low functional equivalence. Birds were more efficient than lizards due to higher visitation frequency (QNC). Adult lizards differed from juveniles in effecting a higher production of viable seeds (QLC). The disparate life modes of birds and lizards resulted in ample intra- and inter-specific PE variance. The main sources of PE variance were visitation frequency (both lizards and birds), number of flowers probed (lizards) and proportion of viable seeds resulting from a single visit (birds). The non-coincident locations of birds and lizards on the PE landscape indicate potential constraints for effectiveness. Variations in pollinator abundance can result in major effectiveness shifts only if QLC is relatively high, while changes in QLC would increase PE substantially only at high QNC. The low functional equivalence of impoverished, highly contrasted pollinator assemblages may be an early diagnostic signal for pollinator extinction potentially driving the collapse of mutualistic services.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantity and quality components of effectiveness in insular pollinator assemblages

2013

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“…Erythrina and Mucuna are pollinated by vertebrates (Sazima & Sazima 1978; Bruneau 1997; Galetto et al. 2000; Agostini & Sazima 2006; Sazima et al. 2009) and have pollen without protein as a major reserve substance (present data).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 68%

“…Considering that birds and bats do not utilise pollen of Erythrina and Mucuna as a resource, but use nectar (Sazima & Sazima 1978; Agostini & Sazima 2006; Sazima et al. 2009), the character of pollen reserves does not seem to be submitted to pollinator pressure, but expresses the physiological demands of the pollen–pistil interaction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Pollen desiccation in Erythrina and Mucuna species is marked because species combine a long period of pollen presentation (Bruneau 1997; Galetto et al. 2000; Agostini & Sazima 2006; Sazima et al 2009; see Table 2) with partially hydrated pollen (PHP), and lack physiological mechanisms to decrease desiccation during pollen release and presentation (Franchi et al. 2002; Pacini & Hesse 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pollen and stigma morphology of some Phaseoleae species (Leguminosae) with different pollinators

2010

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Pollen transport to a receptive stigma can be facilitated through different pollinators, which submits the pollen to different selection pressures. This study aimed to associate pollen and stigma morphology with zoophily in species of the tribe Phaseoleae. Species of the genera Erythrina, Macroptilium and Mucuna with different pollinators were chosen. Pollen grains and stigmas were examined under light microscopy (anatomy), scanning electronic microscopy (surface analyses) and transmission electronic microscopy (ultrastructure). The three genera differ in terms of pollen wall ornamentation, pollen size, pollen aperture, thickness of the pollen wall, amount of pollenkitt, pollen hydration status and dominant reserves within the pollen grain, while species within each genus are very similar in most studied characteristics. Most of these features lack relationships to pollinator type, especially in Erythrina and Mucuna. Pollen reserves are discussed on a broad scale, according to the occurrence of protein in the pollen of invertebrate- or vertebrate-pollinated species. Some pollen characteristics are more associated to semi-dry stigma requirements. This apical, compact, cuticularised and secretory stigma occurs in all species investigated. We conclude that data on pollen and stigma structure should be included together with those on floral morphology and pollinator behaviour for the establishment of functional pollination classes.

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“…Geckos and other lizards visit a wide variety of flowers, mostly on islands, including the Balearics, Madeira, the Canary Islands, Fernando Noronha, Mauritius, Reunion, New Zealand, Tasmania and Guam (Elvers 1977;Hansen & Müller 2009;Le Péchon et al 2013;Mortensen et al 2008;Olsson et al 2000;Ortega-Olivencia et al 2012;Perez-Mellado & Casas 1997;Perez-Mellado et al 2000;Sazima et al 2009;Traveset & Saez 1997;Whitaker 1987), the Seychelles (A. Gardner pers. comm.…”

Section: Geographical Trends Involving Birds and Lizardsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Floral biology of the Cunoniaceae in New Caledonia and the role of insects, birds and geckos as potential pollinators

Hopkins

Bradford

Donovan³

et al. 2015

Kew Bull

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Cunoniaceae are represented in New Caledonia by some 90 species, all of them endemic, and the family is thus a significant element in this diverse island flora. We present a descriptive survey of floral biology for the seven genera present, covering floral structure and colour, inflorescence shape, sexual system and phenology, plus details of floral visitors, where known, based on field observations; individual records of potential pollinators are tabulated in appendices. The flowers are polysymmetric (or almost so) and provide nectar and/or pollen as floral rewards. Two genera are dioecious and some species are mass flowering. Generalist entomophily is associated with several floral syndromes although the introduction of Apis mellifera has partially obscured historic relationships between some Cunoniaceae and their insect-pollinators. Codia and Pancheria both have sweetly scented, often creamish, spherical capitula and their floral visitors include honey bees, beetles, flies and native bees, especially halictids. Spiraeanthemum and Hooglandia have small, often whitish flowers in paniculate inflorescences but data on potential pollinators are few. Racemes occur in Weinmannia (flowers white, apparently scentless) and Cunonia p.p. (flowers white, pink or reddish with a faint foetid odour); visitors are mostly honey bees, plus ants, butterflies and native bees, and occasionally birds in the case of two reddish-flowered species. Ornithophily occurs in Geissois (flowers red, scentless, in bottle-brush racemes) and Cunonia macrophylla (flowers yellowgreen, in one-sided racemes); their floral visitors are commonly Meliphagidae plus some Psittacidae and Zosteropidae. Pteropodid bats are also occasional visitors to Geissois. Geckos have been reported as flower-visitors in two genera though their contribution to pollen transfer is likely to be sporadic at most. Topics that require further investigation include some details of floral biology and the floral cycle, and the possible adaptive significance of different inflorescence shapes. Unanswered questions include: What visits taxa with paniculate inflorescences?, and for all genera: Which types of floral visitor are the most efficient pollinators? For the family as a whole, generalist entomophily appears to be the ancestral mode of pollen transfer and morphological specialisations to ornithophily have occurred independently in two groups of species and possibly in a third. Our data on birds and geckos agree with a known trend for these types of floral visitation and pollination to be well developed on islands, and flower-visiting by lizards in New Caledonia is likely to be more common than has been documented so far, both in Cunoniaceae and in the flora as a whole.

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A catch-all leguminous tree: Erythrina velutina visited and pollinated by vertebrates at an oceanic island

Cited by 10 publications

References 9 publications

Quantity and quality components of effectiveness in insular pollinator assemblages

Quantity and quality components of effectiveness in insular pollinator assemblages

Pollen and stigma morphology of some Phaseoleae species (Leguminosae) with different pollinators

Floral biology of the Cunoniaceae in New Caledonia and the role of insects, birds and geckos as potential pollinators

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