Can Foraging Hummingbirds Use Smell? A Test with the Amazilia Hummingbird Amazila amazilia

Núñez, Pablo; Méndez, Marcos; López‐Rull, Isabel

doi:10.13157/arla.68.2.2021.sc2

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…cardinalis to represent shifts to bumblebee pollination is consistent with changes in other floral traits. Both yellow morphs had increased scent emission, which could reflect selection from pollinators such as bees that use scent to forage, unlike hummingbirds (Goldsmith and Goldsmith, 1982;Núñez et al, 2021) as well as the presence of bee-orienting nectar guides (Free 1970, Leonard & Papaj 2011. This combination of traits particular to McY could contribute to the significant increase in probed yellow flowers in this species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Within-species floral evolution reveals convergence in adaptive walks during incipient pollinator shift

Wenzell,

Neequaye,

Paajanen

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Pollinators are important in the evolution of flowering plants, but questions remain about how early stages of pollinator-mediated speciation arise. Studying intraspecific variation in floral traits can shed light on early stages of floral trait divergence and identify how traits evolve as signals to novel pollinators, either acting separately or in concert. Among two hummingbird- pollinated species of monkeyflowers (Mimulussection Erythranthe),M. cardinalisandM. verbenaceus, yellow floral morphs have arisen from more common, red-flowered morphs and have become well-established in several populations. To identify 1) whether these floral transitions involve additional floral traits beyond color and 2) if they represent incipient pollinator shifts, we characterized yellow-flowered morphs ofM. verbenaceusandM. cardinalisand their more common red-flowered forms across numerous floral traits (reflectance, pigmentation, volatile organic compounds, morphology, and nectar) and assessed pollinator perception and preference of floral signals by a novel bumblebee pollinator (Bombus terrestris ssp. audax). The two yellow morphs appeared to follow independent evolutionary paths, resulting in distinct hues of yellow that varied in reflectance, pigmentation, and perception by bees. For floral scent, both yellow forms differed from their red conspecific forms: in one case increasing total emissions of a similar scent profile (M. verbenaceus), and in the other, emitting a distinct scent profile at similarly low levels (M. cardinalis). In both species, yellow morphs had wider, less restrictive corolla openings and greater herkogamy than red flowers but produced similar nectar rewards. Collectively, these floral trait differences resulted in a clear preference for yellow floral morphs in both species, with naïve bumblebees choosing yellow flowers twice as often as red forms. Despite the increased attractiveness of yellow morphs, bumblebees had difficulty handling flowers to access rewards, suggesting they may be ineffective pollinators to current floral phenotypes. This study reveals that parallel transitions in floral color in two monkeyflower species involve a suite of changes to other floral traits which directly impacts interactions with potential pollinators. This work highlights the value of integrative studies of intraspecific floral phenotypes and behavioral responses of pollinators to understand incipient pollinator shifts and the potential for future pollinator-mediated floral evolution.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Within-species floral evolution reveals convergence in adaptive walks during incipient pollinator shift

Wenzell,

Neequaye,

Paajanen

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…There is an ongoing discussion regarding the sense of smell among different bird groups and whether they use, and if yes to what extend, while searching for food (e.g., 28 – 31 ). There is, however, very little information about the role of smell in foraging by nectarivorous birds 32 , and since the purpose of the presented work was not to investigate this issue, we will follow the widely held notion that the sense of smell is not dominant in birds thus bird pollinated flowers are usually lacking any detectable scent. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the latest work published by Núñez et al 32 proved that Amazilia amazilia s. l. , species closely related to the one pollinating scentless O. fulgens , does not use smell in the search for food but employ other senses, mainly sight.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is, however, very little information about the role of smell in foraging by nectarivorous birds 32 , and since the purpose of the presented work was not to investigate this issue, we will follow the widely held notion that the sense of smell is not dominant in birds thus bird pollinated flowers are usually lacking any detectable scent. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the latest work published by Núñez et al 32 proved that Amazilia amazilia s. l. , species closely related to the one pollinating scentless O. fulgens , does not use smell in the search for food but employ other senses, mainly sight. During the course of this research, we have investigated this aspect, however, we have not found any volatile compounds.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ornithophily in the subtribe Maxillariinae (Orchidaceae) proven with a case study of Ornithidium fulgens in Guatemala

Lipińska

Archila

Haliński

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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Ornithophily has been long speculated to occur in the subtribe Maxillariinae (Orchidaceae), relying either solely on micromorphological analyses or scarce field observations of undefined species. In Guatemala we were able to observe regular visits of the azure-crowned hummingbirds feeding on flowers of Ornithidium fulgens. These observations have led us to investigation of floral attractants by means of scanning and transmission microscopy, histochemical and chemical analyses (GC–MS). Conducted investigation revealed that the epidermis of basal protuberance of column-foot has features proving the secretory activity and that secreted nectar is sucrose-dominant. Slight secretion on the middle part of the lip is puzzling. The presence of other potential pollinators has not been reported. Based on the results of this study, we confirmed that the flowers of O. fulgens meet all criteria of ornithophily and thus that the hypothesis about bird pollination in the subtribe Maxillariinae is proven. The presented results confirm that the previously described floral features predicting the bird pollination in this group are justified. This strengthens the theory about floral adaptations to different pollinators and gives valid reasons to consider species with flowers with a certain set of traits as ornithophilous, even in the absence of the pollination observation.

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“…[66,67] offered to maximize attraction and retention of specific pollinators [68]. Bats, bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and moths are known to be able to perceive the scent of flowers and distinguish between odor differences [69][70][71][72]. These explain, for example, that flowers with moth pollination syndrome exhibit high rates of odor emission in the late afternoon [73].…”

Section: Research Focuses Of Fsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Development of Floral Scent Research: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis (1987–2022)

Peng,

Zhang,

Fan

et al. 2023

Plants

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Floral scent (FS) plays a pivotal role in maintaining ecological equilibrium within plant populations and ecosystems while also bearing significance for human well-being. Despite the growing interest in FS research, there exists a dearth of comprehensive analyses on research trends, contemporary topics, and their broader implications. In this study, we employ bibliometric techniques using data from the Web of Science Core Collection spanning 1987–2022 to offer a quantitative overview of the scientific literature surrounding FS by examining the annual publication outputs, popular research areas, temporal trends in keywords, geographic distribution of relevant studies, institutions, co-organizations, as well as relevant authors. Our findings reveal a marked upsurge in FS publications, notably within the domains of Food Science Technology, Plant Sciences, Chemistry, Agriculture, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology. The research landscape in FS primarily encompasses evolutionary dynamics, volatile compound analyses, biosynthesis mechanisms, and essential oil properties. These research trends signify a transition from micro-level exploration, focusing on individual pollination ecological functions of FS, to a macro-perspective that emphasizes FS’s overarching impact on species diversity and ecosystem stability. This shift extends from the investigation of singular sensory attributes of FS to a holistic evaluation of their role in food production, quality, and yield enhancement. It encompasses a move away from mere FS extraction towards the examination of antioxidant potential within phenolic compounds and other industrial applications. Thus, improving research methodologies, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration on an international scale, and delving deeper into the multifaceted ecological functions of floral diversity and their societal implications will be paramount.

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Can Foraging Hummingbirds Use Smell? A Test with the Amazilia Hummingbird Amazila amazilia

Cited by 8 publications

References 76 publications

Within-species floral evolution reveals convergence in adaptive walks during incipient pollinator shift

Within-species floral evolution reveals convergence in adaptive walks during incipient pollinator shift

Ornithophily in the subtribe Maxillariinae (Orchidaceae) proven with a case study of Ornithidium fulgens in Guatemala

The Development of Floral Scent Research: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis (1987–2022)

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