Non-associative learning underlies pollination interaction of pollinators and flowering plants

Abstract

The behavioral response of pollinators is significantly influenced by the prior experience of flower visiting. Learning of pollinators, including non-associative learning, associative learning, and operant conditioning, are determined by the presence or absence of rewards during the flower visiting experience. Here, we indicate for the first time that process of non-rewarding flower (empty flower) visiting coincident well with the behavioral paradigm of non-associative learning. Habituation, one of non-associative learning, most likely modulates the pollinating behavior patterns of empty flower visitation. Moreover, we propose that the process of habituation recovery, including spontaneous recovery and dishabituation, may also modulate the behavior of pollinators, which leads to ecological consequences of long-distance pollen dispersal and high outcross pollination rate. We believe that utilizing the methodology of non-associative learning behavioral neurobiology paradigm to investigate pollinator behavior will establish novel insights into the sensory responses and neural activity of pollination behavior in the pollination systems.