Flower-visiting insects observed on the critically endangered alpine plant species Callianthemum kernerianum Freyn ex A. Kerner (Ranunculaceae)

Gobbi, Mauro; Avesani, Daniele; Parolo, Gilberto; Scupola, Antonio; Zanetti, Adriano; Bonomi, Costantino

doi:10.12976/jib/2017.5.6

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 2 publications

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“…However, despite the rising interest in such interactions in mountain ecosystems [ 26 , 29 , 30 ], there is still a lack of knowledge about flower-visiting arthropods in these rich and fragile ecosystems [ 31 ]. For instance, apart from some early works [ 32 , 33 ], only a few recent studies have dealt with flower-visiting species in the Alps [ 31 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ]. This knowledge gap might partly exist because mountain environments are often erroneously considered unpolluted and undisturbed and because of a perceived lack of short-term economic interest in this topic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manual Sampling and Video Observations: An Integrated Approach to Studying Flower-Visiting Arthropods in High-Mountain Environments

Bonelli

Melotto

Minici

et al. 2020

Insects

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Despite the rising interest in biotic interactions in mountain ecosystems, little is known about high-altitude flower-visiting arthropods. In particular, since the research in these environment can be limited or undermined by harsh conditions and logistical difficulties, it is mandatory to develop effective approaches that maximize possibilities to gather high-quality data. Here we compared two different methods, manual sampling and video observations, to investigate the interactions between the high-mountain arthropod community and flowers of Androsace brevis (Primulaceae), a vulnerable endemic alpine species with a short flowering period occurring in early season. We manually sampled flower-visiting arthropods according to the timed-observations method and recorded their activity on video. We assessed differences and effectiveness of the two approaches to estimate flower-visiting arthropod diversity and to identify potential taxa involved in A. brevis pollination. Both methods proved to be effective and comparable in describing the diversity of flower visitors at a high taxonomic level. However, with manual sampling we were able to obtain a fine taxonomic resolution for sampled arthropods and to evaluate which taxa actually carry A. brevis pollen, while video observations were less invasive and allowed us to assess arthropod behavior and to spot rare taxa. By combining the data obtained with these two approaches we could accurately identify flower-visiting arthropods, characterize their behavior, and hypothesize a role of Hymenoptera Apoidea and Diptera Brachycera in A. brevis pollination. Therefore, we propose integrating the two approaches as a powerful instrument to unravel interactions between flowering plants and associated fauna that can provide crucial information for the conservation of vulnerable environments such as high-mountain ecosystems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Manual Sampling and Video Observations: An Integrated Approach to Studying Flower-Visiting Arthropods in High-Mountain Environments

Bonelli

Melotto

Minici

et al. 2020

Insects

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Visitor or vector? The extent of rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) pollination and floral interactions

Sayers

Steinbauer

Miller

2019

Arthropod-Plant Interactions

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The Early Season Community of Flower-Visiting Arthropods in a High-Altitude Alpine Environment

Bonelli

Eustacchio

Avesani

et al. 2022

Insects

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In mountain ecosystems, climate change can cause spatiotemporal shifts, impacting the composition of communities and altering fundamental biotic interactions, such as those involving flower-visiting arthropods. On of the main problems in assessing the effects of climate change on arthropods in these environments is the lack of baseline data. In particular, the arthropod communities on early flowering high-altitude plants are poorly investigated, although the early season is a critical moment for possible mismatches. In this study, we characterised the flower-visiting arthropod community on the early flowering high-altitude Alpine plant, Androsace brevis (Primulaceae). In addition, we tested the effect of abiotic factors (temperature and wind speed) and other variables (time, i.e., hour of the day, and number of flowers per plant) on the occurrence, abundance, and diversity of this community. A. brevis is a vulnerable endemic species growing in the Central Alps above 2000 m asl and flowering for a very short period immediately after snowmelt, thus representing a possible focal plant for arthropods in this particular moment of the season. Diptera and Hymenoptera were the main flower visitors, and three major features of the community emerged: an evident predominance of anthomyiid flies among Diptera, a rare presence of bees, and a relevant share of parasitoid wasps. Temperature and time (hour of the day), but not wind speed and number of flowers per plant, affected the flower visitors’ activity. Our study contributes to (1) defining the composition of high-altitude Alpine flower-visiting arthropod communities in the early season, (2) establishing how these communities are affected by environmental variables, and (3) setting the stage for future evaluation of climate change effects on flower-visiting arthropods in high-altitude environments in the early season.

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Flower-visiting insects observed on the critically endangered alpine plant species Callianthemum kernerianum Freyn ex A. Kerner (Ranunculaceae)

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Manual Sampling and Video Observations: An Integrated Approach to Studying Flower-Visiting Arthropods in High-Mountain Environments

Manual Sampling and Video Observations: An Integrated Approach to Studying Flower-Visiting Arthropods in High-Mountain Environments

Visitor or vector? The extent of rove beetle (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) pollination and floral interactions

The Early Season Community of Flower-Visiting Arthropods in a High-Altitude Alpine Environment

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