Effects of Florivory on the Pollination of Flowers: An Experimental Field Study with a Perennial Plant

Abstract

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Natural and cultural history of beargrass (<em>Xerophyllum tenax</em>)

“…Effects of harvest disturbance on pollinator community-Similar to herbivory (e.g., by grazing animals and insects), leaf harvest by humans directly decreases the amount of photosynthetic tissue of a plant has, thereby reducing the plant's available and potential resources for growth, reproduction, and survival (Cardel and Koptur 2010). Potential plastic responses of plants to herbivory (and presumably leaf harvest) include changes in resource allocation by the plant and changes in the quality and number of pollen grains produced owing to nutrient stress (Cardel and Koptur 2010).…”

“…Potential plastic responses of plants to herbivory (and presumably leaf harvest) include changes in resource allocation by the plant and changes in the quality and number of pollen grains produced owing to nutrient stress (Cardel and Koptur 2010). Harvest-driven plant mortality or suppression of flowering could result in patchier resources for pollinators, which, depending on the availability and proximity of other acceptable resources, may need to expend more foraging energy or reduce their intake of pollen food.…”

“…Empirical evidence is lacking, for example, on whether leaving tillers during leaf harvest prevents subsequent flowering of the plant. In general, loss of leaves directly decreases the amount of photosynthetic tissue in a plant and thereby reduces its resources available for growth, reproduction, and survival (Cardel and Koptur 2010). Potential responses of leaf loss could include changes in resource allocation (affecting flowering) and changes in the quality and number of pollen grains produced (Cardel and Koptur 2010).…”

“…In general, loss of leaves directly decreases the amount of photosynthetic tissue in a plant and thereby reduces its resources available for growth, reproduction, and survival (Cardel and Koptur 2010). Potential responses of leaf loss could include changes in resource allocation (affecting flowering) and changes in the quality and number of pollen grains produced (Cardel and Koptur 2010). Heavy leaf harvest might also result in higher rates of plant mortality, which (combined with reduced flowering) could affect pollinators.…”

Overlooked flower-visiting Orthoptera in Southeast Asia

“…Crepet 1984, Grimaldi 1999, Novotny et al 2006, Novotny and Miller 2014, resource management (e.g. Lundberg and Moberg 2003, Cardel and Koptur 2010, Hudewenz et al 2012, and conservation (e.g. Kearns et al 1998, Bale et al 2002, Tscharntke and Brandl 2004.…”