Temporal stability of pollinator preference in an alpine plant community and its implications for the evolution of floral traits

Gong, Ya‐Jun; Huang, Shuang‐Quan

doi:10.1007/s00442-011-1910-7

Cited by 28 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(97 reference statements)

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“…These results suggest that generalized plants might experience stable evolutionary relationships with diverse functional groups. Different functional pollinator groups showed preferences for certain flower trait or traits combinations in the community [48]. Such stability and preferences of functional pollinator groups may contribute to the maintenance of diverse species in one community, although network compositions are highly changeable.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Relative Stability of Core Groups in Pollination Networks in a Biodiversity Hotspot over Four Years

Fang

Huang

2012

PLoS ONE

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Plants and their pollinators form pollination networks integral to the evolution and persistence of species in communities. Previous studies suggest that pollination network structure remains nested while network composition is highly dynamic. However, little is known about temporal variation in the structure and function of plant-pollinator networks, especially in species-rich communities where the strength of pollinator competition is predicted to be high. Here we quantify temporal variation of pollination networks over four consecutive years in an alpine meadow in the Hengduan Mountains biodiversity hotspot in China. We found that ranked positions and idiosyncratic temperatures of both plants and pollinators were more conservative between consecutive years than in non-consecutive years. Although network compositions exhibited high turnover, generalized core groups – decomposed by a k-core algorithm – were much more stable than peripheral groups. Given the high rate of turnover observed, we suggest that identical plants and pollinators that persist for at least two successive years sustain pollination services at the community level. Our data do not support theoretical predictions of a high proportion of specialized links within species-rich communities. Plants were relatively specialized, exhibiting less variability in pollinator composition at pollinator functional group level than at the species level. Both specialized and generalized plants experienced narrow variation in functional pollinator groups. The dynamic nature of pollination networks in the alpine meadow demonstrates the potential for networks to mitigate the effects of fluctuations in species composition in a high biodiversity area.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Relative Stability of Core Groups in Pollination Networks in a Biodiversity Hotspot over Four Years

Fang

Huang

2012

PLoS ONE

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“…Analyses of pollinator behavior were conducted for leafcutter bees and bumble bees separately, because pollinator taxa may differ in their foraging preference and direction of movement on inflorescences [16], [32]. We used the data from observation periods during which at least an approach was observed.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Firstly, pollinator recognition: The bumble bees were reported to have a preference for horizontal flowers [16]. Sprengel (1793) proposed that bees are mainly attracted to horizontal-facing flowers from the front, and forcing this course of approach may facilitate the recognition of flower patterns [17], [18].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Change of Floral Orientation within an Inflorescence Affects Pollinator Behavior and Pollination Efficiency in a Bee-Pollinated Plant, Corydalis sheareri

Wang

Tie

et al. 2014

PLoS ONE

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Vertical raceme or spike inflorescences that are bee-pollinated tend to present their flowers horizontally. Horizontal presentation of flowers is hypothesized to enhance pollinator recognition and pollination precision, and it may also ensure greater consistency of pollinator movement on inflorescences. We tested the hypotheses using bee-pollinated Corydalis sheareri which has erect inflorescences consisting of flowers with horizontal orientation. We altered the orientation of individual flowers and prepared three types of inflorescences: (i) unmanipulated inflorescences with horizontal-facing flowers, (ii) inflorescences with flowers turned upward, and (iii) inflorescences with flowers turned downward. We compared number of inflorescences approached and visited, number of successive probes within an inflorescence, the direction percentage of vertical movement on inflorescences, efficiency of pollen removal and seed production per inflorescence. Deviation from horizontal orientation decreased both approaches and visits by leafcutter bees and bumble bees to inflorescences. Changes in floral orientation increased the proportion of downward movements by leafcutter bees and decreased the consistency of pollinator movement on inflorescences. In addition, pollen removal per visit and seed production per inflorescence also declined with changes of floral orientation. In conclusion, floral orientation seems more or less optimal as regards bee behavior and pollen transfer for Corydalis sheareri. A horizontal orientation may be under selection of pollinators and co-adapt with other aspects of the inflorescence and floral traits.

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“…In this study, we investigated the association between PE and P:O ratios and quantified the fates of pollen grains for 26 plant species pollinated by a variety of insects in an alpine meadow in the Hengduan Mountains, China (Gong & Huang , ). Pollen removal and deposition were evaluated for 20 of the 26 plant species for three consecutive years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interspecific variation in pollen–ovule ratio is negatively correlated with pollen transfer efficiency in a natural community

Gong

Huang

2014

Plant Biol J

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The pollination efficiency hypothesis has long been proposed as an explanation for interspecific variation in pollen-ovule (P:O) ratios. However, no empirical study on P:O ratios has directly and quantitatively measured pollen transfer efficiency (PE). Here, we use a PE index, defined as the proportion of pollen grains removed from anthers that are subsequently deposited on conspecific stigmas, as a direct and quantitative measure of PE. We investigated P:O ratios, pollen removal and pollen deposition in 26 plant species in an alpine meadow, over three consecutive years. Our community survey showed that nearly 5% of removed pollen was successfully deposited on conspecific stigmas. The PE index ranged from 0.01% up to 78.56% among species, and correlated negatively with the P:O ratio across years. This correlation was not changed by controlling for phylogenetic relationships among species, suggesting that the interspecific variation in P:O ratios can be attributed to the probability of pollen grains reaching a stigma. The results indicate that the pollination efficiency hypothesis can help to explain interspecific variation in P:O ratios.

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Temporal stability of pollinator preference in an alpine plant community and its implications for the evolution of floral traits

Cited by 28 publications

References 46 publications

Relative Stability of Core Groups in Pollination Networks in a Biodiversity Hotspot over Four Years

Relative Stability of Core Groups in Pollination Networks in a Biodiversity Hotspot over Four Years

Change of Floral Orientation within an Inflorescence Affects Pollinator Behavior and Pollination Efficiency in a Bee-Pollinated Plant, Corydalis sheareri

Interspecific variation in pollen–ovule ratio is negatively correlated with pollen transfer efficiency in a natural community

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