The relative importance of hummingbirds as pollinators in two bromeliads with contrasting floral specializations and breeding systems

Magalhães, Amanda Ferreira Pinto; Maruyama, Pietro Kiyoshi; Tavares, Luísa Alícida Fernandes; Martins, Rodrigo Lemes

doi:10.1093/botlinnean/boy050

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Overall hummingbirds had higher efficacy and visitation frequency than large bees, so they could be pointed as the main pollinators of E. lindenii. Hummingbirds also act as the main pollinators in other species of Bromeliaceae (Schmid et al, 2011;Magalhães et al, 2018). However, large bees did not always act as secondary pollinators of E. lindenii: they were the main pollinators when the frequency of visits by hummingbirds was low.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal changes in the most effective pollinator of a bromeliad pollinated by bees and hummingbirds

Leal

Moreira

Pinto

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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A generalist pollination system may be characterized through the interaction of a plant species with two or more functional groups of pollinators. The spatiotemporal variation of the most effective pollinator is the factor most frequently advocated to explain the emergence and maintenance of generalist pollination systems. There are few studies merging variation in floral visitor assemblages and the efficacy of pollination by different functional groups. Thus, there are gaps in our knowledge about the variation in time of pollinator efficacy and frequency of generalist species. In this study, we evaluated the pollination efficacy of the floral visitors of Edmundoa lindenii (Bromeliaceae) and their frequency of visits across four reproductive events. We analyzed the frequency of the three groups of floral visitors (large bees, small bees, and hummingbirds) through focal observations in the reproductive events of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. We evaluated the pollination efficacy (fecundity after one visit) through selective exposure treatments and the breeding system by manual pollinations. We tested if the reproductive success after natural pollination varied between the reproductive events and also calculated the pollen limitation index. E. lindenii is a self-incompatible and parthenocarpic species, requiring the action of pollinators for sexual reproduction. Hummingbirds had higher efficacy than large bees and small bees acted only as pollen larcenists. The relative frequency of the groups of floral visitors varied between the reproductive events. Pollen limitation has occurred only in the reproductive event of 2017, when visits by hummingbirds were scarce and reproductive success after natural pollination was the lowest. We conclude that hummingbirds and large bees were the main and the secondary pollinators of E. lindenii, respectively, and that temporal variations in the pollinator assemblages had effects on its reproductive success. Despite their lower pollination efficacy, large bees ensured seed set when hummingbirds failed. Thus, we provide evidence that variable pollination environments may favor generalization, even under differential effectiveness of pollinator groups if secondary pollinators provide reproductive assurance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal changes in the most effective pollinator of a bromeliad pollinated by bees and hummingbirds

Leal

Moreira

Pinto

et al. 2020

PeerJ

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“…Although another pollinators such as insects have also been shown to provide pollination services for Vriesea species, they are probably less effective as they carry less pollen, potentially drive more self-pollination which can affect seed viability and fly shorter distances than vertebrates ( Fleming et al 2009 ; Schmid et al 2011 ; Paggi et al 2013 ). Although a recent study showed hummingbirds as efficient as bees and ants in facilitating pollination per visit in V. neoglutinosa , fruit set was reduced when only insects are allowed to visit the flowers, insects potentially bring more self-pollen and seed quality was not examined in order to assess viability ( Magalhães et al 2018 ). Additionally, Vriesea flowers produce large volume of nectar which results in higher amount of sugar, reinforcing the strong association with vertebrate pollinators whose energetic needs are higher than insects ( Sazima et al 1995 ; Göttlinger et al 2019 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollinators drive floral evolution in an Atlantic Forest genus

et al. 2020

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Pollinators are important drivers of angiosperm diversification at both micro and macroevolutionary scales. Both hummingbirds and bats pollinate the species-rich and morphologically diverse genus Vriesea across its distribution in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Here, we (1) determine if floral traits predict functional groups of pollinators as documented, confirming the pollination syndromes in Vriesea and (2) test if genetic structure in Vriesea is driven by geography (latitudinal and altitudinal heterogeneity) or ecology (pollination syndromes). We analysed 11 floral traits of 58 Vriesea species and performed a literature survey of Vriesea pollination biology. The genealogy of haplotypes was inferred and phylogenetic analyses were performed using chloroplast (rps16-trnk and matK) and nuclear (PHYC) molecular markers. Floral traits accurately predict functional groups of pollinators in Vriesea. Genetic groupings match the different pollination syndromes. Species with intermediate position were found between the groups, which share haplotypes and differ morphologically from the typical hummingbird and bat-pollinated flowers of Vriesea. The phylogeny revealed moderately to well-supported clades which may be interpreted as species complexes. Our results suggest a role of pollinators driving ecological isolation in Vriesea clades. Incipient speciation and incomplete lineage sorting may explain the overall low genetic divergence within and among morphologically-defined species, precluding the identification of clear species boundaries. The intermediate species with mixed floral types likely represent a window into shifts between pollinator syndromes. This study reports the morphological-genetic continuum that may be typical of on-going pollinator-driven speciation in biodiversity hotspots.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peer Review #1 of "Temporal changes in the most effective pollinator of a bromeliad pollinated by bees and hummingbirds (v0.1)"

2020

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Background A generalist pollination system may be characterized through the interaction of a plant species with two or more functional groups of pollinators. The spatiotemporal variation of the most effective pollinator is the factor most frequently advocated to explain the emergence and maintenance of generalist pollination systems. There are few studies merging variation in floral visitor assemblages and the efficacy of pollination by different functional groups. Thus, there are gaps in our knowledge about the variation in time of pollinator efficacy and frequency of generalist species. In this study, we evaluated the pollination efficacy of the floral visitors of Edmundoa lindenii (Bromeliaceae) and their frequency of visits across four reproductive events. Methods We analysed the frequency of the three groups of floral visitors (large bees, small bees, and hummingbirds) through focal observations in the reproductive events

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The relative importance of hummingbirds as pollinators in two bromeliads with contrasting floral specializations and breeding systems

Cited by 8 publications

References 50 publications

Temporal changes in the most effective pollinator of a bromeliad pollinated by bees and hummingbirds

Temporal changes in the most effective pollinator of a bromeliad pollinated by bees and hummingbirds

Pollinators drive floral evolution in an Atlantic Forest genus

Peer Review #1 of "Temporal changes in the most effective pollinator of a bromeliad pollinated by bees and hummingbirds (v0.1)"

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