Pollination Effectiveness of Specialist and Generalist Visitors to a North Carolina Population of Claytonia Virginica

Motten, Alexander F.; Campbell, Diane R.; Alexander, David; Miller, Helen

doi:10.2307/1937292

Cited by 184 publications

(147 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…This shows that the hypothesis proposed by some researchers (Gómez and Zamora 1992;Morris 2003;Vázquez et al 2005), namely, that visit rate is a good surrogate of pollinator performance, should be treated with caution, as it is true only for some plant species (see e.g. Motten et al 1981;Fishbein and Venable 1996;Olsen 1997;Sahli and Conner 2007;Niemirski and Zych 2011;Zych and Stpiczyńska 2012;Zych et al 2013), and thus may be misleading in others (e.g. Zych 2002Zych , 2007Fumero-Cabán and Watts et al 2012; and the present study).…”

Section: Pollination Importancementioning

confidence: 45%

Myophily in the critically endangered umbelliferous plant Ostericum palustre Besser (Apiaceae)

2013

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Globally, many plant species face humaninduced habitat loss and an associated reduction in population size and vitality. Their survival is often possible only when appropriate conservation measures are taken that address the biology and ecology of these species, including their reproduction, often the most vulnerable stage in the life history of the organism. Unfortunately, little is known about these aspects of the biology of many listed plant species. For 3 years, we studied the pollination biology of the critically endangered plant species Ostericum palustre Besser (Apiaceae), one that is listed in the Bern Convention and Annex II of the EU Flora-Fauna Directive. Flowers of this taxon were visited by over 81 species of anthophilous insects derived from 5 taxonomic orders, indicating the presence of a generalised pollination system. However, detailed analyses of the frequency of insect visits, pollen loads and insect behaviour on inflorescences suggest that the plant is chiefly pollinated by large Dipterans, predominantly large Syrphid flies and Muscoid flies, that together are often responsible for over 90 % of total pollinations. Occasionally, wasps (Vespidae) may also be involved in the pollination of this species. With respect to the pollination system of O. palustre, our results indicate that this is a classic example of myophily, and generally, this species can be regarded as a functional specialist, but like many other members of Apiaceae, it is a typical ''bethedger''. This strategy may probably increase the plant's reproductive success in a range of habitat conditions, suggesting that the pollination system is unlikely to be the cause of rarity in this species.

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Section: Pollination Importancementioning

confidence: 45%

Myophily in the critically endangered umbelliferous plant Ostericum palustre Besser (Apiaceae)

2013

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“…The high frequency of legitimate visits may increase the chances of pollen deposition on the stigma of flowers, consequently, increasing the seed production (Motten et al, 1981). However, only frequency does not guarantee an efficient pollination, being necessary other adjustments of the visitors with the flowers, such as the morphological and behavioral.…”

Section: Flower Visitorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The efficiency of bees in pollinating ephemeral flowers of Jacquemontia bracteosa (Convolvulaceae)

Santos

Gimenes

2016

Iheringia, Sér. Zool.

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ABSTRACT. The family Convolvulaceae is widely distributed in tropical regions, mainly in open areas. Convolvulaceae fl owers are characterized mainly by being beautiful and ephemeral, attracting many fl ower visitors that belong to diff erent taxonomic groups. This work aimed to investigate the interactions between insects and fl owers of Jacquemontia bracteosa (Convolvulaceae), focusing on the pollination effi ciency, in an area in the Brazilian semiarid. From November 2011 to October 2012, fl oral biology of J. bracteosa was investigated as well as the fl ower visit frequency, behavior, and morphology of fl oral visitors. The fl owers of J. bracteosa are white, showy and open early in the morning, lasting less than 12 hours, with fruiting occurring both by selfi ng and outcrossing fecundation. A total of 337 specimens insects were collected on J. bracteosa fl owers during the fi eld observations. The Neotropical bee, Ancyloscelis apiformis, was considered the most effi cient pollinator of J. bracteosa. This bee showed appropriate behavior, high frequency (64% of the total sample), and was constant on the fl owers. Furthermore, they arrived soon when the fl owers began to open and presented 90% of effi ciency in tests of fl ower pollination of J. bracteosa. Other native bee species also visited the fl owers of J. bracteosa and may be considered potential pollinators because they presented behavior and morphology compatible with the fl owers. This study suggests that maintenance of weeds or ruderal plants, especially those that also have ornamental potential in anthropic area, may be an option for the preservation of local native pollinators, which are threatened by environmental degradation.

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“…Mayfield et al 2001;FumeroCabán and Meléndez-Ackerman 2007;Zych 2007;Niemirski and Zych 2011). In some cases, the most frequent visitor is indeed the most important pollinator (Motten et al 1981;Fishbein and Venable 1996;Olsen 1997;Sahli and Conner 2007;Niemirski and Zych 2011), but in other cases, common floral visitors do not contribute significantly to pollination because, for example, they carry no or little pollen on their bodies (Schemske and Horvitz 1984;Zych 2002;FumeroCabán and Meléndez-Ackerman 2007;Watts et al 2012), their efficiency in pollen transfer is low when compared to other animals (Wilson and Thomson 1991;Cane et al 1993;Mayfield et al 2001; Thomson and Goodell 2001;Javorek et al 2002;Adler and Irwin 2006), and they preferentially visit one flower sexual phase in dioecious or dichogamous plants (Bierzychudek 1987;Schlessman et al 2004;Larsson 2005;Davila and Wardle 2007;Zych 2007). Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), for instance, being the most common floral visitors in many anthropogenic habitats, may be efficient in pollen removal, but inefficient in pollen deposition, and thus are quoted in some cases as parasites rather than actual pollinators (Westerkamp 1991;Wilson and Thomson 1991;Buchmann and Nabhan 1996;Willmer 2011;Ollerton et al 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The most effective pollinator revisited: pollen dynamics in a spring-flowering herb

Zych

Goldstein

Roguz

et al. 2013

Arthropod-Plant Interactions

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Most flowers are visited by a wide range of potential pollinators. However, their efficiency in pollen removal and deposition, and other behavioural factors affecting pollination effectiveness may greatly differ among taxa, and even individuals. Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris L., Liliaceae) is a spring-flowering, critically endangered plant in the Polish flora, red-listed in most of the European countries of its range. Based on indirect evidence, that is, body pollen loads, visitation frequency and seasonal abundance, it is estimated that its key pollinators are queen bumblebees, but, as shown in the literature, the largest Fritillaria pollen loads are carried by solitary bees. To study pollinator effectiveness for floral visitors to F. meleagris, we performed a garden experiment, where we analysed pollen deposition and assessed pollen removal per single flowervisit in the plant. Similarly to field conditions reported in the literature, our experimental plants were serviced by nectarseeking bumblebee queens and two taxa of solitary bees, small pollen-collecting Andrena and large, nectar-seeking Anthophora males. When ''quality'' component was addressed, despite the character of visits, insects from all groups deposited more pollen than was found on unvisited flowers, but they did not differ significantly from each other in pollen deposition on virgin stigmas. We also found some differences in pollen removal both within-and among-visitor species and control flowers, unfortunately due to extremely high variation of the results they were all statistically insignificant. However, when ''quantity'' component of insect performance was concerned, we observed that over 81 % of visits were by bumblebees. Bombus queens stayed on flowers significantly less time than small Andrena individuals (13 % of recorded visits) and equally long as Anthophora males (only 6 % of visits). We conclude that although all the visitor groups can pollinate the flowers of F. meleagris, bumblebee queens indeed proved to be the most effective pollinators of the plant, when both quality and quantity components of pollination are concerned.

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Pollination Effectiveness of Specialist and Generalist Visitors to a North Carolina Population of Claytonia Virginica

Cited by 184 publications

References 35 publications

Myophily in the critically endangered umbelliferous plant Ostericum palustre Besser (Apiaceae)

Myophily in the critically endangered umbelliferous plant Ostericum palustre Besser (Apiaceae)

The efficiency of bees in pollinating ephemeral flowers of Jacquemontia bracteosa (Convolvulaceae)

The most effective pollinator revisited: pollen dynamics in a spring-flowering herb

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