Pollination ecology in China from 1977 to 2017

Abstract

China is one of most biodiverse countries in the world, containing at least 10% of all angiosperm species. Therefore, we should anticipate a diverse, pollinator fauna. China also has a long history of applied ethnobiology, including a sustainable agriculture based on apiculture and plant-pollinator interactions. However, the science of pollination ecology is a far younger sub-discipline in China, compared to in the West. Chinese studies in pollination ecology began in the 1970s. For this review, we compiled a complete reference database (>600 publications) of pollination studies in China. Using this database, we identified and analyzed gaps and limitations in research on the pollination systems of native and naturalized species. Specifically, we asked the following questions: 1) What do we know about the pollination systems of native, Chinese species? 2) How does Chinese pollination ecology compare with the development of pollination research abroad and which aspects of research should be pursued by Chinese anthecologists in the near future? 3) What research on pollination in China will advance our understanding and contribute to our ongoing analyses of endemism and conservation? Subsequently, we segregated and identified prospective lines of future research that are unique to China and can only be done in China. This requires discussing priorities within a systematic approach.

Plant-pollinator interactions in East Asia: a review

“…For example, some globallevel studies of plant-pollinator interactions and plant reproductive ecology included no or very few East Asian examples due to the lack of available data (Ollerton et al 2009;Ollerton 2012;Schleuning et al 2012;Rech et al 2016;Johnson et al 2017;Zanata et al 2017). Additionally, pollinators like hawkmoths and nectar-feeding birds have been poorly studied in East Asia (Johnson et al 2017;Ren et al 2018;Liu & Sun 2019).…”

“…The study of plant-pollinator interactions and plant reproductive ecology in East Asia has been developing rapidly in recent decades (Barrett 2015;Ren et al 2018). Ren et al (2018) summarized the pollination research done so far in China, and suggested future directions it could take.…”

“…The study of plant-pollinator interactions and plant reproductive ecology in East Asia has been developing rapidly in recent decades (Barrett 2015;Ren et al 2018). Ren et al (2018) summarized the pollination research done so far in China, and suggested future directions it could take. However, a comprehensive review focused on the characteristics of plant-pollinator interactions across the entire region of East Asia has not yet been published.…”

“…I selected representative papers published on East Asian pollination from 1956 to 2019. This time frame largely covered the development of research on plantpollinator interactions in East Asia (Tanaka 1996;Ren et al 2018). Published studies were located using Google Scholar searches for keywords representing the regions (e.g., China), plant taxa (e.g., Rhododendron), and pollinator groups (e.g., hawkmoth) in East Asia.…”

A few words on our commemoration of 80 years at KIB

“…Even though China has a long history of ethnobotanical practices and a sustainable agricultural system based on apiculture and plant–pollinator interactions, pollination ecology is a young sub-discipline in China, only started in the 1970s. Ren et al. (2018) compile a complete pollination reference database in China including more than 600 published articles.…”