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Hobson KA, Taylor O, Ramírez MI, Carrera-Treviño R, Pleasants J, Bitzer R, Baum KA, Mora Alvarez BX, Kastens J, McNeil JN. Dynamics of stored lipids in fall migratory monarch butterflies ( Danaus plexippus): Nectaring in northern Mexico allows recovery from droughts at higher latitudes. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad087. [PMID: 38026803 PMCID: PMC10673816 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The eastern population of the North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) overwinters from November through March in the high-altitude (3000 m+) forests of central Mexico during which time they rely largely on stored lipids. These are acquired during larval development and the conversion of sugars from floral nectar by adults. We sampled fall migrant monarchs from southern Canada through the migratory route to two overwintering sites in 2019 (n = 10 locations), 2020 (n = 8 locations) and 2021 (n = 7 locations). Moderate to extreme droughts along the migratory route were expected to result in low lipid levels in overwintering monarchs but our analysis of lipid levels of monarchs collected at overwintering sites indicated that in all years most had high levels of lipids prior to winter. Clearly, a significant proportion of lipids were consistently acquired in Mexico during the last portion of the migration. Drought conditions in Oklahoma, Texas and northern Mexico in 2019 resulted in the lowest levels of lipid mass and wing loading observed in that year but with higher levels at locations southward in Mexico to the overwintering sites. Compared with 2019, lipid levels increased during the 2020 and 2021 fall migrations but were again higher during the Mexican portion of the migration than for Oklahoma and Texas samples, emphasizing a recovery of lipids as monarchs advanced toward the overwintering locations. In all 3 years, body water was highest during the Canada-USA phase of migration but then declined during the nectar foraging phase in Mexico before recovering again at the overwintering sites. The increase in mass and lipids from those in Texas to the overwintering sites in Mexico indicates that nectar availability in Mexico can compensate for poor conditions experienced further north. Our work emphasizes the need to maintain the floral and therefore nectar resources that fuel both the migration and storage of lipids throughout the entire migratory route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith A Hobson
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Orley Taylor
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - M Isabel Ramírez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Geografia Ambiental, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Antigua Carretera A Patzcuaro 8701, Ex hacienda San Jose de la Huerta, 58190, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | - Rogelio Carrera-Treviño
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, C. Francisco Villa 20, Escobedo, Nuevo León, México
| | - John Pleasants
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 2200 Osborne Dr, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 5011, USA
| | - Royce Bitzer
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, 2213 Pammel Dr., Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Kristen A Baum
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences E, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Blanca X Mora Alvarez
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
| | - Jude Kastens
- Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, University of Kansas, 2101 Constant Ave., Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Jeremy N McNeil
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond St, London, ON, N6A 5B7, Canada
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Wei J, Rico-Guevara A, Nicolson SW, Brau F, Damman P, Gorb SN, Wu Z, Wu J. Honey bees switch mechanisms to drink deep nectar efficiently. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2305436120. [PMID: 37459520 PMCID: PMC10372696 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2305436120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The feeding mechanisms of animals constrain the spectrum of resources that they can exploit profitably. For floral nectar eaters, both corolla depth and nectar properties have marked influence on foraging choices. We report the multiple strategies used by honey bees to efficiently extract nectar at the range of sugar concentrations and corolla depths they face in nature. Honey bees can collect nectar by dipping their hairy tongues or capillary loading when lapping it, or they can attach the tongue to the wall of long corollas and directly suck the nectar along the tongue sides. The honey bee feeding apparatus is unveiled as a multifunctional tool that can switch between lapping and sucking nectar according to the instantaneous ingesting efficiency, which is determined by the interplay of nectar-mouth distance and sugar concentration. These versatile feeding mechanisms allow honey bees to extract nectar efficiently from a wider range of floral resources than previously appreciated and endow them with remarkable adaptability to diverse foraging environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangkun Wei
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98195
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA98105
| | - Susan W. Nicolson
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield0028, South Africa
| | - Fabian Brau
- Université libre de Bruxelles, Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, Brussels1050, Belgium
| | - Pascal Damman
- Université de Mons, Laboratoire InFlux, Mons7000, Belgium
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Department of Zoology, Kiel University, Kiel24118, Germany
| | - Zhigang Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
- School of Advanced Manufacturing, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen518107, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Anparasan L, Hobson KA, McNeil JN. Effect of rearing conditions on fatty acid allocation during flight in nectivorous lepidopteran Mythimna unipuncta. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1055534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect species that are nectivorous as adults acquire essential fatty acids almost exclusively from host plants during larval development. Thus, as essential fatty acids are important for a number of different biological processes, adult allocation of this limited resource may result in important trade-offs. Most lepidopteran species that migrate do so as sexually immature adults, so essential fatty acids used for migratory flight would not be available for subsequent reproduction. Using the true armyworm, Mythimna unipuncta, as a model system we analyzed fat body samples to test the hypothesis that environmental cues would influence the use of essential fatty acids during migratory flight. We used diets manipulated isotopically to trace origins and use of stored lipids and used chromatographic analyses to determine fatty acid composition. In the first experiments, 5-day old moths that had been reared in summer or fall (migratory) conditions and were force flown for different lengths of time (0–6 h) after which samples of the fat body were analyzed. Rearing conditions did not affect fatty acid loading however patterns of use during flight differed with essential fatty acids being conserved under fall but not summer conditions. As migratory flight can take several days, we repeated the experiment when 5-day old moths were flown for 8 h each day for up to 5 days. Some moths were provided access to sugar water after each flight while others were only given water or only given sugar water once. When sugar water was readily or sporadically available, moths reared under fall conditions conserved their essential fatty acids indicating that the environmental cues responsible for the onset of migratory flight result in physiological changes that modify lipid use. However, when moths had only water, the essential fatty acids were not conserved, highlighting the importance of nectar availability at stopovers for the conservation essential fatty acids during migration. Isotopic analysis of the moth fat body indicated a large contribution of adult-derived diet to lipids used as fuel. The implications of using isotopic approaches to other flight studies and future research on differential resource allocation in winged monomorphic migratory insects are discussed. Summary statement: Isotopic tracing methods and gas chromatography were used to demonstrate that environmental cues can impact patterns of fatty acid use in true armyworm moths. In particular, essential fatty acids are conserved during migratory flight. However, availability of adult food sources will determine the degree to which essential fatty acids are conserved.
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Rivest SA, Wolkovich EM, Kharouba HM. Flowering phenology influences butterfly nectar foraging on non-native plants in an oak savanna. Ecology 2023; 104:e4004. [PMID: 36799691 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
The negative impacts of non-native species have been well documented, but some non-natives can play a positive role in native ecosystems. One way that non-native plants can positively interact with native butterflies is by provisioning nectar. Relatively little is known about the role of phenology in determining native butterfly visitation to non-native plants for nectar, yet flowering time directly controls nectar availability. Here we investigate the phenological patterns of flowering by native and non-native plants and nectar foraging by native butterflies in an oak savanna on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. We also test whether native butterflies select nectar sources in proportion to their availability. We found that non-native plants were well integrated into butterfly nectar diets (83% of foraging observations) and that visitation to non-natives increased later in the season when native plants were no longer flowering. We also found that butterflies selected non-native flowers more often than expected based on their availability, suggesting that these plants represent a potentially valuable resource. Our study shows that non-native species have the potential to drive key species interactions in seasonal ecosystems. Management regimes focused on eradicating non-native species may need to reconsider their aims and evaluate resources that non-natives provide.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - E M Wolkovich
- Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Wang B, Liu X, Tang G, Wu J, Yang Y. Optimal kinematics of the bee tongue for viscous fluid transport. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:7317-7323. [PMID: 36111791 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00832g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Honey bees can forage nectar from a large spectrum of nectariferous flowers using their rhythmically erectable tongue hairs in a viscous dipping fashion that involves a faster protraction stroke toward the nectar pool and a slower retraction stroke backward. Since honey bees are capable of using their hairy tongues to adapt to various feeding environments, the kinematic characteristics of the bee tongue, especially the retraction time, would likely represent evolutionary optimization. However, the phenomenon and mechanism remain elusive. In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we established a mathematical model to analyze the effects of tongue retraction time on the energy intake rate considering the unfolding dynamics of tongue hairs in the retraction phase. The theoretical optimal retraction time at which the energy intake rate reached the maximum was governed by the dimensions of tongue hairs, which matched well with the in vivo tests. This study may not only bridge the connection between the kinematics and geometry of the bee tongue but also shed light on a control strategy for micropumps equipped with dynamic surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, P. R. China.
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
| | - Xuhan Liu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
| | - Guowei Tang
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, 518107, Shenzhen, P. R. China.
| | - Yunqiang Yang
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, P. R. China.
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6
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Pauw A. Pollination syndrome accurately predicts pollination by tangle-veined flies (Nemestrinidae: Prosoeca s.s.) across multiple plant families. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2022; 24:1010-1021. [PMID: 35975653 PMCID: PMC9804979 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The idea that a syndrome of floral traits predicts pollination by a particular functional group of pollinators remains simultaneously controversial and widely used because it allows plants to be rapidly assigned to pollinators. To test the idea requires demonstrating that there is an association between floral traits and pollinator type. I conducted such a test in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, by studying the pollination of eight plant species from six families that flower in spring and have scentless, actinomorphic, upwards-facing flowers, with orbicular petals all held in the same plane. The petals are brilliant-white with red-purple nectar guides. The tubes are short and hold small volumes of concentrated nectar, except in the rewardless Disa fasciata (Orchidaceae). Pollinators were photographed and captured, pollen loads were analysed and pollination networks were constructed. Consistent with the pollination syndrome hypothesis, the species with the defined syndrome shared a small group of pollinators. The most frequent pollinators belonged to a clade of four tangle-veined fly species with relatively short proboscises (Nemestrinidae: Prosoeca s.s.), while functionally similar Bombyliidae and Tabanidae played minor roles. Among the four Prosoeca species, only Prosoeca westermanni has been described, a result that highlights our ignorance about pollinators. The demonstration of an association between the syndrome of traits and pollination by this group of flies explains the repeated evolution of the syndrome across multiple plant families, and allows prediction of pollinators in additional species. More generally, the result validates the idea that the traits of organisms determine their ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Pauw
- Department of Botany and ZoologyStellenbosch UniversityMatielandSouth Africa
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7
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Wei J, Brau F, Damman P, Draux A, Hua HAB, Wu Z, Wu J. Trade-off mechanism of honey bee sucking and lapping. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:5568-5574. [PMID: 35703347 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00361a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Animals have developed various drinking strategies in capturing liquid to feed or to stay hydrated. In contrast with most animals, honey bees Apis mellifera that capture nectar with their tongue, can deliberately switch between sucking and lapping methods. They preferentially suck diluted nectar whereas they are prone to lap concentrated nectar. In vivo observations have shown that bees select the feeding method yielding the highest efficiency at a given sugar concentration. In this combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we propose two physical models for suction and lapping mode of capture that explain the transition between these two feeding strategy. The critical viscosity, μ*, at which the transition occurs, is derived from these models, and agrees well with in vivo measurements. The trade-off mechanism of honey bee sucking and lapping may further inspire microfluidics devices with higher capability of transporting liquids across a large range of viscosities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangkun Wei
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fabian Brau
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pascal Damman
- Université de Mons (UMons), Laboratoire InFlux, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Ayrton Draux
- Université de Mons (UMons), Laboratoire InFlux, 7000, Mons, Belgium
| | - Hoa-Ai Béatrice Hua
- Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP231, 1050, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Zhigang Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Martin VN, Schaeffer RN, Fukami T. Potential effects of nectar microbes on pollinator health. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210155. [PMID: 35491594 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Floral nectar is prone to colonization by nectar-adapted yeasts and bacteria via air-, rain-, and animal-mediated dispersal. Upon colonization, microbes can modify nectar chemical constituents that are plant-provisioned or impart their own through secretion of metabolic by-products or antibiotics into the nectar environment. Such modifications can have consequences for pollinator perception of nectar quality, as microbial metabolism can leave a distinct imprint on olfactory and gustatory cues that inform foraging decisions. Furthermore, direct interactions between pollinators and nectar microbes, as well as consumption of modified nectar, have the potential to affect pollinator health both positively and negatively. Here, we discuss and integrate recent findings from research on plant-microbe-pollinator interactions and their consequences for pollinator health. We then explore future avenues of research that could shed light on the myriad ways in which nectar microbes can affect pollinator health, including the taxonomic diversity of vertebrate and invertebrate pollinators that rely on this reward. This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tadashi Fukami
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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9
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Geest EA, Baum KA. The Impact of Fire on Nectar Quality and Quantity for Insect Pollinator Communities. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-187.2.268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily A. Geest
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater 74078
| | - Kristen A. Baum
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater 74078
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10
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Cuban D, Hewes AE, Sargent AJ, Groom DJE, Rico-Guevara A. On the feeding biomechanics of nectarivorous birds. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274052. [PMID: 35048977 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Nectar-feeding birds employ unique mechanisms to collect minute liquid rewards hidden within floral structures. In recent years, techniques developed to study drinking mechanisms in hummingbirds have prepared the groundwork for investigating nectar feeding across birds. In most avian nectarivores, fluid intake mechanisms are understudied or simply unknown beyond hypotheses based on their morphological traits, such as their tongues, which are semi-tubular in sunbirds, frayed-tipped in honeyeaters and brush-tipped in lorikeets. Here, we use hummingbirds as a case study to identify and describe the proposed drinking mechanisms to examine the role of those peculiar traits, which will help to disentangle nectar-drinking hypotheses for other groups. We divide nectar drinking into three stages: (1) liquid collection, (2) offloading of aliquots into the mouth and (3) intraoral transport to where the fluid can be swallowed. Investigating the entire drinking process is crucial to fully understand how avian nectarivores feed; nectar-feeding not only involves the collection of nectar with the tongue, but also includes the mechanisms necessary to transfer and move the liquid through the bill and into the throat. We highlight the potential for modern technologies in comparative anatomy [such as microcomputed tomography (μCT) scanning] and biomechanics (such as tracking BaSO4-stained nectar via high-speed fluoroscopy) to elucidate how disparate clades have solved this biophysical puzzle through parallel, convergent or alternative solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Cuban
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Amanda E Hewes
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Alyssa J Sargent
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Derrick J E Groom
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94132, USA
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Life Sciences Building, Box 351800, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.,Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Ornithology Department, 4300 15th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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11
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Specialized morphology and material properties make a honey bee tongue both extendible and structurally stable. Acta Biomater 2021; 136:412-419. [PMID: 34592444 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2021.09.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The honey bee, Apis mellifera ligustica, uses the specialized tongue structured by ∼120 segmental units, coated by bushy hairs, to dip varying concentration nectar flexibly at small scales. While dipping, the segmental units elongate by 20%, coordinated with rhythmical erection of hairs, the pattern of which is demonstrated to be capable of both increasing nectar intake rate and saving energy. The compliance in the segmental units allows extension of the tongue, which however, challenges the structural stability while traveling through the viscous fluid. In this combined experimental and theoretical investigation, we apply scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), micro-computed tomography scanning (micro-CT), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and mechanical models to reveal the structural and material specializations in a bee tongue for meeting the functionally contradictive demands. We find that each segmental unit is a complex structure, which is composed of an intersegmental membrane (ISM) and a ring-like hair base (RHB), with spatially distributed discrete changes in material properties. The combination of these two components makes the tongue multifunctional, in which the ISMs characterized by resilin-rich material make the segmental units compliant, while the RHBs with rigid sclerotized material provide stable supporting for hairs. Our study may enlighten deployable mechanisms with correlative functional components, especially the microscopic mechanisms applied in viscous fluid tranport. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The honey bee tongue is a versatile tool that extends to probe into varying-shaped corollas, retracting with 3,000 glossal hairs staying erected to load nectar. The combined requirement of both deformability and structural stability imposes opposing demands on structural stiffness. Here we show that glossal hairs are supported by rigid continuum ring-like hair bases, embedded in the elastic resilient intersegmental membrane, making the whole tongue both flexible and rigid at the same time. Our findings extend our understanding of relationship between morphology, material composition and biomechanics of dynamic biological surfaces, which may inspire design paradigms of multifunctional deployable mechanisms coordinating deformability and structural stability.
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12
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Lois-Milevicich J, Schilman PE, Josens R. Viscosity as a key factor in decision making of nectar feeding ants. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 128:104164. [PMID: 33220240 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2020.104164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that viscosity reduces the intake rates in nectar-feeding insects, such as nectivorous ants, though it remains unclear whether viscosity imposes a higher energy investment in these insects, and how this affects their feeding motivation. To address this issue, we studied feeding behavior, metabolism, and pharyngeal pump activity in the carpenter ant Camponotus mus during ingestion of ad libitum sucrose solutions. In some solutions tylose was added to modify viscosity without changing its sucrose concentration, in a way that allowed comparing: (1) two solutions with the same viscosity and different sucrose concentration (10 T and 50), and (2) two solutions with different viscosity and the same sucrose concentration (50 and 50 T). The viscosity increase was detrimental to the metabolic rate and energy balance. Ants feeding on a solution with high sucrose concentration and increased viscosity (50 T) spent extra-time until reaching a crop load similar to that reached by ingesting the solution without tylose (50). For all solutions offered, ants started feeding with the same pharyngeal pump frequencies, reflecting a similar motivation. Interesting, when ants fed on a low sucrose concentration and increased viscosity solution (10 T), their pump frequencies dropped rapidly respect to the pure-sucrose solution (50). On the contrary, pump frequencies for 50 and 50 T remained similar until the end of the intake. Since the pump frequency is strongly modulated by the ant motivation, an increase in viscosity with low sucrose content, demotivates the ants rapidly, suggesting a rapid integration of different kinds of information about the food value. Our results helped to understand how nectivorous ants could modulate their foraging decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Lois-Milevicich
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental and Instituto de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Pablo E Schilman
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología de Insectos, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental and Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Roxana Josens
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental and Instituto de Fisiología y Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, (C1428EGA), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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13
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He Z, Zhang W, Sun Y, Li C, Wu J, Wu Z. How honey bees dip nectar: Dynamic spacing of tongue hairs facilitates to collect nectar of various viscosities. J Theor Biol 2020; 512:110538. [PMID: 33189760 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
A honey bee can dip nectar of viscosity across two orders of magnitude, by viscous lapping technique using a segmental tongue covered with erectable hairs. The drinking technique suffers risks of leakage occurring between tongue hairs, and the amount of leakage is related to hair spacing as well as nectar viscosity. When lapping, tongue segments are elongated, which enlarges the hair spacing in longitudinal direction. Experimental observations show that the hair spacing of tongue increases with respect to sucrose solution concentration until it reaches the maximum extension when sucrose solution concentration is above 35%. Considering leakage occurring in the hairy tongue, we hypothesize that the dynamical extension of hair spacing may help honey bees minimize the effects of leakage to reach maximal nectar intake rate. A mathematical model is developed for determining the optimal hair spacing that can meet the demands of both augmenting the nectar intake rate and reducing the risk of leakage. Theoretical prediction and experimental measurements demonstrate honey bees are able to adjust the tongue to meet the optimal hair spacing when dipping nectar of concentration more dilute than 35% and maintain a maximum extension to improve the nectar intake rate when concentration is greater than 35%. We then give the prediction of concentration preferences of three bee species, and discuss effects of dipping frequency and gravity on the leakiness between tongue hairs. This work may not only gain insights into adaptive feeding strategy in insects, but inspire the design of adaptive microfluidic transport devices with dynamic brushy surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zike He
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Zhang
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Sun
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuchu Li
- Functional Morphology & Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhigang Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
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14
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Wei J, Huo Z, Gorb SN, Rico-Guevara A, Wu Z, Wu J. Sucking or lapping: facultative feeding mechanisms in honeybees ( Apis mellifera). Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200449. [PMID: 32780979 PMCID: PMC7480147 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nectarivorous insects generally adopt suction or lapping to extract nectar from flowers and it is believed that each species exhibits one specific feeding pattern. In recent literature, large groups of nectarivores are classified as either 'suction feeders', imbibing nectar through their proboscis, or 'lappers', using viscous dipping. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are the well-known lappers by virtue of their hairy tongues. Surprisingly, we found that honeybees also employ active suction when feeding on nectar with low viscosity, defying their classification as lappers. Further experiments showed that suction yielded higher uptake rates when ingesting low-concentration nectar, while lapping resulted in faster uptake when ingesting nectar with higher sugar content. We found that the optimal concentration of suction mode in honeybees coincided with the one calculated for other typical suction feeders. Moreover, we found behavioural flexibility in the drinking mode: a bee is able to switch between lapping and suction when offered different nectar concentrations. Such volitional switching in bees can enhance their feeding capabilities, allowing them to efficiently exploit the variety of concentrations presented in floral nectars, enhancing their adaptability to a wide range of energy sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangkun Wei
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Zixin Huo
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Stanislav N. Gorb
- Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoology Department, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, 24118 Kiel, Germany
| | - Alejandro Rico-Guevara
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
- Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Zhigang Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, People's Republic of China
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15
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Temporal model of fluid-feeding mechanisms in a long proboscid orchid bee compared to the short proboscid honey bee. J Theor Biol 2020; 484:110017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.110017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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16
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Zhou Y, Zhao S, Wang M, Yu W, Wyckhuys KAG, Wu K. Floral Visitation Can Enhance Fitness of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Long-Distance Migrants. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 112:2655-2662. [PMID: 31539425 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Numerous insect species engage in seasonal, trans-latitudinal migration, in response to varying resource availability, climatic conditions and associated opportunities, to maximize fitness and reproductive success. For certain species, the interaction between migrant adults and individual host plants is well-studied under laboratory conditions, but scant knowledge exists on the nutritional ecology of wild (i.e., field-caught) moths. During 2017-2018, we trapped adults of the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) along its migration pathway in northeastern China and used pollen grain analysis to assess its visitation of particular host plants. Next, we assessed life history effects of adult feeding on carbohydrate-rich resources, for migrant individuals. Pollen grain analysis revealed H. armigera visitation of 32 species from 28 families, with the largest carrier ratio for northward migrants. Evening primrose (Oenothera spp.) accounted for 48% of pollen grains, indicating a marked H. armigera feeding preference. Furthermore, feeding on sugar-rich foods benefited adult fitness, enhanced fecundity by 65-82% and increased flight distance by 38-55% as compared to unfed individuals. Also, the degree of enhancement of reproduction and flight performance following sugar feeding varied between different migratory cohorts. Our work combines (polymerase chain reaction [PCR]-assisted) palynology and laboratory-based life history trials to generate novel perspectives on the nutritional ecology of long-distance migratory insects. These findings can aid the development of population monitoring and 'area-wide' management strategies for a globally-important agricultural pest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shengyuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Menglun Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Wenhua Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Kris A G Wyckhuys
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Kongming Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
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Wu J, Chen Y, Li C, Lehnert MS, Yang Y, Yan S. A quick tongue: older honey bees dip nectar faster to compensate for mouthpart structure degradation. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.212191. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.212191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The western honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera), is arguably the most important pollinator worldwide. While feeding, A. mellifera uses a rapid back-and-forth motion with its brush-like mouthparts to probe pools and films of nectar. Due to the physical forces experienced by the mouthparts during the feeding process, we hypothesized that the mouthparts acquire wear or damage over time, which is paradoxical, because it is the older worker bees that are tasked with foraging for nectar and pollen. Here, we show that the average length of the setae (brush-like structures) on the glossa decreases with honey bee age, particularly when feeding on high-viscosity sucrose solutions. The nectar intake rate, however, remains nearly constant regardless of age or setae length (0.39±0.03 µg/s for honey bees fed a 45% sucrose solution and 0.48±0.05 µg/s for those fed a 35% sucrose solution). Observations of the feeding process with high-speed video recording revealed that the older honey bees with shorter setae dip nectar at a higher frequency. We propose a liquid transport model to calculate the nectar intake rate, energy intake rate and the power to overcome viscous drag. Theoretical analysis indicates that A. mellifera with shorter glossal setae can compensate both nectar and energy intake rates by increasing dipping frequency. The altered feeding behavior provides insight into how A. mellifera, and perhaps other insects with similar feeding mechanisms, can maintain a consistent fluid uptake rate, despite having damaged mouthparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, P. R. China
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yue Chen
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Chuchu Li
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Matthew S. Lehnert
- Department of Biological Sciences, Kent State University at Stark, 44720, North Canton, Ohio, USA
| | - Yunqiang Yang
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), 100083, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shaoze Yan
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, P. R. China
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18
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Bauder JAS, Karolyi F. Superlong Proboscises as Co-adaptations to Flowers. INSECT MOUTHPARTS 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-29654-4_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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19
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Structural and physical determinants of the proboscis-sucking pump complex in the evolution of fluid-feeding insects. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6582. [PMID: 28747640 PMCID: PMC5529602 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06391-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Fluid-feeding insects have evolved a unique strategy to distribute the labor between a liquid-acquisition device (proboscis) and a sucking pump. We theoretically examined physical constraints associated with coupling of the proboscis and sucking pump into a united functional organ. Classification of fluid feeders with respect to the mechanism of energy dissipation is given by using only two dimensionless parameters that depend on the length and diameter of the proboscis food canal, maximum expansion of the sucking pump chamber, and chamber size. Five species of Lepidoptera — White-headed prominent moth (Symmerista albifrons), White-dotted prominent moth (Nadata gibosa), Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), Carolina sphinx moth (Manduca sexta), and Death’s head sphinx moth (Acherontia atropos) — were used to illustrate this classification. The results provide a rationale for categorizing fluid-feeding insects into two groups, depending on whether muscular energy is spent on moving fluid through the proboscis or through the pump. These findings are relevant to understanding energetic costs of evolutionary elaboration and reduction of the mouthparts and insect diversification through development of new habits by fluid-feeding insects in general and by Lepidoptera in particular.
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20
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Amato B, Petit S. A review of the methods for storing floral nectars in the field. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2017; 19:497-503. [PMID: 28303638 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The knowledge of floral nectar sugar characteristics, such as concentration, ratio and mass, is essential to understand the complex nature of nectar production and pollination systems. Although nectar is commonly stored in ecology, storage reliability and effectiveness have rarely been quantified. Inappropriate nectar storage between sampling and analysis can alter nectar chemistry as a result of enzyme or microbial action. Our review of the literature indicates that measures to preserve nectar sugars before analysis include refrigeration, freezing, the addition of an antimicrobial agent, spotting and drying on filter paper, the addition of a desiccant or a combination of these storage treatments. Nectar stored on filter paper is removed by washing with a solvent before analysis. Elution methods are often complex, not standardised and poorly reported in published work. Existing storage methods have generally been used without an evaluation of their impact on results, but evidence suggests a potentially large impact on result accuracy. Future studies should report storage treatments and elution methods to legitimise comparison among independent studies and provide unbiased evaluation of the results. In view of the wide range of storage methods used and lack of verification of their appropriateness, is imperative that standardised and effective methods be developed to ensure that results are reliable. We recommend the prompt analysis of nectar, detailed description of methods, including size of filter paper and method of elution, and use of sterile techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Amato
- Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
| | - S Petit
- Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA, Australia
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21
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Arnold PM, Michaels HJ. Nectar sampling for prairie and oak savanna butterfly restoration. APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES 2017; 5:apps1600148. [PMID: 28690931 PMCID: PMC5499304 DOI: 10.3732/apps.1600148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE OF THE STUDY Understanding floral resources is vital for restoring pollinators in habitats affected by anthropogenic development and climate change. As the primary adult food, nectar can limit butterfly longevity and reproduction. For pollinator restoration, it would therefore be useful to examine nectar resources. However, because many flowers preferred by butterflies are too small for microcapillary sampling and the potential for nectar contamination can make accurate measurement difficult, we developed a modified centrifugation method to extract and separate nectar and pollen. METHODS We sampled nectar from 19 forbs using a glass wool filter to exclude potentially contaminating pollen during centrifugation. To minimize costs, we measured sugar concentration by refractometry and simple ninhydrin tests for amino acids and improved test accuracy by subsequent image analysis. Artificial nectars were used to verify the new techniques. RESULTS This method eliminated pollen from samples, while only slightly increasing sugar concentrations. Some amino acids were lost during centrifugation, but only samples with high concentrations exhibited substantial loss. We found significant differences in nectar quality among species, as well as an unexpected inverse relationship between amino acid and sugar concentrations. DISCUSSION This modified centrifugation technique is an efficient, less damaging, inexpensive approach for collecting nectar from small flowers while eliminating pollen contamination, and will facilitate restoration of declining pollinators and thereby the plants they service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige M. Arnold
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 USA
| | - Helen J. Michaels
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio 43403 USA
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22
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Shi G, Wu J, Yan S. Drag Reduction in a Natural High-Frequency Swinging Micro-Articulation: Mouthparts of the Honey Bee. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2017; 17:3059520. [PMID: 28355472 PMCID: PMC5469391 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iew122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Worker-bee mouthparts consist of the glossa, the galeae and the vestigial labial palp, and it is these structures that enable bees to feed themselves. The articulation joints, 60∼70 µm in diameter, are present on the tip of the labial palp and are covered with olfactory sensilla, allowing movements between the segments. Using a specially designed high-speed camera system, we discovered that the articulation joint could swing in the nectar at a frequency of ∼50 Hz, considerably higher than the usual motion frequency of mammalian joints. To understand the potential drag reduction in this tiny organ, we examined its microstructure and also its surface wettability. We found that chitinous semispherical protuberances (4∼6 µm in diameter) are uniformly scattered on the surface of the joint and, moreover, that the surface is hydrophobic. We proposed a hydrodynamic model and revealed that the specialized surface can effectively reduce the mean equivalent friction (Ff) by ∼10%, through the use of protuberances immersed in the liquid feed. Theoretical results indicated that the dimensions of such protuberances are the predominant factor in minimizing Ff, and that the natural dimensions of the protuberances are close to the theoretical optimum at which friction is at a minimum. These discoveries may inspire the design of high-frequency micro-joints for engineering applications, such as in micro-stirrers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanya Shi
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Automotive Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jianing Wu
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shaoze Yan
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
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23
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Rusman R, Atmowidi T, Peggie D. Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Mount Sago, West Sumatra: Diversity and Flower Preference. HAYATI JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hjb.2016.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Li CC, Wu JN, Yang YQ, Zhu RG, Yan SZ. Drag reduction effects facilitated by microridges inside the mouthparts of honeybee workers and drones. J Theor Biol 2015; 389:1-10. [PMID: 26542139 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2015.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mouthpart of a honeybee is a natural well-designed micropump that uses a reciprocating glossa through a temporary tube comprising a pair of galeae and labial palpi for loading nectar. The shapes and sizes of mouthparts differ among castes of honeybees, but the diversities of the functional microstructures inside the mouthparts of honeybee workers and drones remain poorly understood. Through scanning electron microscopy, we found the dimensional difference of uniformly distributed microridges on the inner galeae walls of Apis mellifera ligustica workers and drones. Subsequently, we recorded the feeding process of live honeybees by using a specially designed high-speed camera system. Considering the microridges and kinematics of the glossa, we constructed a hydrodynamic model to calculate the friction coefficient of the mouthpart. In addition, we test the drag reduction through the dimensional variations of the microridges on the inner walls of mouthparts. Theoretical estimations of the friction coefficient with respect to dipping frequency show that inner microridges can reduce friction during the feeding process of honeybees. The effects of drag reduction regulated by specific microridges were then compared. The friction coefficients of the workers and drones were found to be 0.011±0.007 (mean±s.d.) and 0.045±0.010, respectively. These results indicate that the mouthparts of workers are more capable of drag reduction compared with those of drones. The difference was analyzed by comparing the foraging behavior of the workers and drones. Workers are equipped with well-developed hypopharyngeal, and their dipping frequency is higher than that of drones. Our research establishes a critical link between microridge dimensions and drag reduction capability during the nectar feeding of honeybees. Our results reveal that microridges inside the mouthparts of honeybee workers and drones reflect the caste-related life cycles of honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Chu Li
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, 100083 Beijing, PR China; Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, PR China.
| | - Jia-Ning Wu
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, PR China.
| | - Yun-Qiang Yang
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, 100083 Beijing, PR China.
| | - Ren-Gao Zhu
- School of Engineering and Technology, China University of Geosciences, 100083 Beijing, PR China; Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, PR China.
| | - Shao-Ze Yan
- Division of Intelligent and Biomechanical Systems, State Key Laboratory of Tribology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, PR China.
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25
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Falibene A, Josens R. Environmental temperature affects the dynamics of ingestion in the nectivorous ant Camponotus mus. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 71:14-20. [PMID: 25285641 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2014.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2014] [Revised: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Environmental temperature influences physiology and behavior in animals in general and is particularly determinant in ectotherms. Not least because temperature defines metabolism and body temperature, muscle activity in insects also strongly depends on this factor. Here, we analyzed how environmental temperature influences the dynamics of ingestion due to its effect on the sucking pump muscles in the nectivorous ants Camponotus mus. Feeding behavior and sucking pump activity during sucrose solution ingestion were first recorded in a natural environment in an urban setting throughout the day and in different seasons. Then, controlled temperature experiments were performed in the laboratory. In both situations, feeding time decreased and pumping frequency increased with temperature. However, different pumping frequencies under a same temperature were also observed in different seasons. Besides, in the laboratory, the volume of solution ingested increased with temperature. Consequently, intake rate increased when temperature rose. This change was exclusively promoted by a variation in the pumping frequency while volume taken in per pump contraction was not affected by temperature. In summary, environmental temperature modified the dynamics of ingestion and feeding behavior by directly affecting pumping frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina Falibene
- Grupo de Estudio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IFIBYNE, CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria Pab. II, C1428 EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roxana Josens
- Grupo de Estudio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, IFIBYNE, CONICET, Ciudad Universitaria Pab. II, C1428 EHA Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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26
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Gijbels P, Van den Ende W, Honnay O. Phenotypic selection on nectar amino acid composition in the Lepidoptera pollinated orchid speciesGymnadenia conopsea. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.01528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pieter Gijbels
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology, Biology Dept; Univ. of Leuven; Kasteelpark Arenberg 31 BE-3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - Wim Van den Ende
- Lab of Molecular Plant Biology, Biology Dept; Univ. of Leuven; Kasteelpark Arenberg 31 BE-3001 Heverlee Belgium
| | - Olivier Honnay
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology, Biology Dept; Univ. of Leuven; Kasteelpark Arenberg 31 BE-3001 Heverlee Belgium
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Uptake of liquid from wet surfaces by the brush-tipped proboscis of a butterfly. Sci Rep 2014; 4:6934. [PMID: 25373895 PMCID: PMC4221773 DOI: 10.1038/srep06934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of the brush-tipped proboscis of the Asian comma (Polygonia c-aureum) on wet-surface feeding. The tip region of this proboscis was observed, especially two microstructures; the intake slits through which liquid passes into the proboscis and the brush-like sensilla styloconica. The sensilla styloconica were connected laterally to the intake slits in the tip region. The liquid-feeding flow between the proboscis and the wet surface was measured by micro-particle image velocimetry. During liquid feeding, the sensilla styloconica region accumulates liquid by pinning the air-liquid interface to the tips of the sensilla styloconica, thus the intake slit region remains immersed. The film flow that passes through the sensilla styloconica region shows a parabolic velocity profile, and the corresponding flow rate is proportional to the cubed length of the sensilla styloconica. Based on these observations, we demonstrated that the sensilla styloconica promotes the uptake of liquid from wet surfaces. This study may inspire the development of a microfluidic device to collect liquid from moist substrates.
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Lee SJ, Lee SC, Kim BH. Liquid-intake flow around the tip of butterfly proboscis. J Theor Biol 2014; 348:113-21. [PMID: 24512912 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2014.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 01/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Butterflies drink liquid through a slender proboscis using a large pressure gradient induced by the systaltic operation of a muscular pump inside their head. Although the proboscis is a naturally well-designed coiled micro conduit for liquid uptake and deployment, it has been regarded as a simple straw connected to the muscular pump. There are few studies on the transport of liquid food in the proboscis of a liquid-feeding butterfly. To understand the liquid-feeding mechanism in the proboscis of butterflies, the intake flow around the tip of the proboscis was investigated in detail. In this study, the intake flow was quantitatively visualized using a micro-PIV (particle image velocimetry) velocity field measurement technique. As a result, the liquid-feeding process consists of an intake phase, an ejection phase and a rest phase. When butterflies drink pooled liquid, the liquid is not sucked into the apical tip of the proboscis, but into the dorsal linkage aligned longitudinally along the proboscis. To analyze main characteristics of the intake flow around a butterfly proboscis, a theoretical model was established by assuming that liquid is sucked into a line sink whose suction rate linearly decreases proximally. In addition, the intake flow around the tip of a female mosquito׳s proboscis which has a distinct terminal opening was also visualized and modeled for comparison. The present results would be helpful to understand the liquid-feeding mechanism of a butterfly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Joon Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang Gyeongbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea; Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang Gyeongbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seung Chul Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang Gyeongbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea; Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang Gyeongbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Heum Kim
- Center for Biofluid and Biomimic Research, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang Gyeongbuk 790-784, Republic of Korea
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Lee SC, Kim BH, Lee SJ. Experimental analysis of the liquid-feeding mechanism of the butterfly Pieris rapae. J Exp Biol 2014; 217:2013-9. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.100222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The butterflies Pieirs rapae drink liquid by using a long proboscis. A high pressure gradient is induced in the proboscis when cibarial pump muscles contract. However, liquid feeding through the long proboscis poses a disadvantage of high flow resistance. Hence, butterflies may possess special features to compensate for this disadvantage and succeed in foraging. The main objective of this study is to analyze the liquid-feeding mechanism of butterflies. The systaltic motion of cibarial pump organ was visualized by using synchrotron X-ray imaging technique. In addition, an ellipsoidal pump model was established based on synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography. To determine the relationship between the cyclic variation of the pump volume and the liquid-feeding flow, velocity fields of the intake flow at the tip of the proboscis were measured using micro-particle image velocimetry. Reynolds and Womersley numbers of liquid-feeding flow in the proboscis were approximately 1.40 and 0.129, respectively. The liquid-feeding flow could be characterized as a quasi-steady state laminar flow. Considering these results, we analyzed the dimensions of the feeding apparatus on the basis of minimum energy consumption during liquid-feeding process. The relationship between the proboscis and the cibarial pump was determined when minimum energy consumption occurs. As a result, the volume of the cibarial pump is proportional to the cube of the radius of the proboscis. It seems that the liquid-feeding system of butterflies and other long-proboscid insects follow the cube relationship. The present results would provide insights into the feeding strategies of liquid-feeding butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Chul Lee
- University of Science and Technology, Postech, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Heum Kim
- University of Science and Technology, Postech, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang Joon Lee
- University of Science and Technology, Postech, Republic of Korea
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Karolyi F, Morawetz L, Colville JF, Handschuh S, Metscher BD, Krenn HW. Time management and nectar flow: flower handling and suction feeding in long-proboscid flies (Nemestrinidae: Prosoeca). Naturwissenschaften 2013; 100:1083-93. [PMID: 24258261 PMCID: PMC3843750 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-013-1114-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Revised: 09/23/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
A well-developed suction pump in the head represents an important adaptation for nectar-feeding insects, such as Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera. This pumping organ creates a pressure gradient along the proboscis, which is responsible for nectar uptake. The extremely elongated proboscis of the genus Prosoeca (Nemestrinidae) evolved as an adaptation to feeding from long, tubular flowers. According to the functional constraint hypothesis, nectar uptake through a disproportionately elongated, straw-like proboscis increases flower handling time and consequently lowers the energy intake rate. Due to the conspicuous length variation of the proboscis of Prosoeca, individuals with longer proboscides are hypothesised to have longer handling times. To test this hypothesis, we used field video analyses of flower-visiting behaviour, detailed examinations of the suction pump morphology and correlations of proboscis length with body length and suction pump dimensions. Using a biomechanical framework described for nectar-feeding Lepidoptera in relation to proboscis length and suction pump musculature, we describe and contrast the system in long-proboscid flies. Flies with longer proboscides spent significantly more time drinking from flowers. In addition, proboscis length and body length showed a positive allometric relationship. Furthermore, adaptations of the suction pump included an allometric relationship between proboscis length and suction pump muscle volume and a combination of two pumping organs. Overall, the study gives detailed insight into the adaptations required for long-proboscid nectar feeding, and comparisons with other nectar-sucking insects allow further considerations of the evolution of the suction pump in insects with sucking mouthparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Karolyi
- Department of Integrative Zoology, Faculty of Life Science, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria,
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Anne-Sophie Bauder J, Handschuh S, Metscher BD, Krenn HW. Functional morphology of the feeding apparatus and evolution of proboscis length in metalmark butterflies (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2013; 110:291-304. [PMID: 24839308 PMCID: PMC4021108 DOI: 10.1111/bij.12134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
An assessment of the anatomical costs of extremely long proboscid mouthparts can contribute to the understanding of the evolution of form and function in the context of insect feeding behaviour. An integrative analysis of expenses relating to an exceptionally long proboscis in butterflies includes all organs involved in fluid feeding, such as the proboscis plus its musculature, sensilla, and food canal, as well as organs for proboscis movements and the suction pump for fluid uptake. In the present study, we report a morphometric comparison of derived long-tongued (proboscis approximately twice as long as the body) and short-tongued Riodinidae (proboscis half as long as the body), which reveals the non-linear scaling relationships of an extremely long proboscis. We found no elongation of the tip region, low numbers of proboscis sensilla, short sensilla styloconica, and no increase of galeal musculature in relation to galeal volume, but a larger food canal, as well as larger head musculature in relation to the head capsule. The results indicate the relatively low extra expense on the proboscis musculature and sensilla equipment but significant anatomical costs, such as reinforced haemolymph and suction pump musculature, as well as thick cuticular proboscis walls, which are functionally related to feeding performance in species possessing an extremely long proboscis. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 110, 291–304.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stephan Handschuh
- Theoretical Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, Vienna, 1090, Austria ; Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Adolf Lorenz Gasse 2, Altenberg, 3422, Austria
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Jensen KH, Kim W, Holbrook NM, Bush JWM. Optimal concentrations in transport systems. J R Soc Interface 2013; 10:20130138. [PMID: 23594815 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2013.0138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Many biological and man-made systems rely on transport systems for the distribution of material, for example matter and energy. Material transfer in these systems is determined by the flow rate and the concentration of material. While the most concentrated solutions offer the greatest potential in terms of material transfer, impedance typically increases with concentration, thus making them the most difficult to transport. We develop a general framework for describing systems for which impedance increases with concentration, and consider material flow in four different natural systems: blood flow in vertebrates, sugar transport in vascular plants and two modes of nectar drinking in birds and insects. The model provides a simple method for determining the optimum concentration copt in these systems. The model further suggests that the impedance at the optimum concentration μopt may be expressed in terms of the impedance of the pure (c = 0) carrier medium μ0 as μopt 2(α)μ0, where the power α is prescribed by the specific flow constraints, for example constant pressure for blood flow (α = 1) or constant work rate for certain nectar-drinking insects (α = 6). Comparing the model predictions with experimental data from more than 100 animal and plant species, we find that the simple model rationalizes the observed concentrations and impedances. The model provides a universal framework for studying flows impeded by concentration, and yields insight into optimization in engineered systems, such as traffic flow.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaare H Jensen
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
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Stark H, Schuster S. Comparison of various approaches to calculating the optimal hematocrit in vertebrates. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2012; 113:355-67. [DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00369.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
An interesting problem in hemorheology is to calculate that volume fraction of erythrocytes (hematocrit) that is optimal for transporting a maximum amount of oxygen. If the hematocrit is too low, too few erythrocytes are present to transport oxygen. If it is too high, the blood is very viscous and cannot flow quickly, so that oxygen supply to the tissues is again reduced. These considerations are very important, since oxygen transport is an important factor for physical performance. Here, we derive theoretical optimal values of hematocrit in vertebrates and collect, from the literature, experimentally observed values for 57 animal species. It is an interesting question whether optimal hematocrit theory allows one to calculate hematocrit values that are in agreement with the observed values in various vertebrate species. For this, we first briefly review previous approaches in that theory. Then we check which empirical or theoretically derived formulas describing the dependence of viscosity on concentration in a suspension lead to the best agreement between the theoretical and observed values. We consider both spatially homogeneous and heterogeneous distributions of erythrocytes in the blood and also possible extensions, like the influence of defective erythrocytes and cases where some substances are transported in the plasma. By discussing the results, we critically assess the power and limitations of optimal hematocrit theory. One of our goals is to provide a systematic overview of different approaches in optimal hematocrit theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Stark
- Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Stefan Schuster
- Department of Bioinformatics, Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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Abstract
Nectar drinkers must feed quickly and efficiently due to the threat of predation. While the sweetest nectar offers the greatest energetic rewards, the sharp increase of viscosity with sugar concentration makes it the most difficult to transport. We here demonstrate that the sugar concentration that optimizes energy transport depends exclusively on the drinking technique employed. We identify three nectar drinking techniques: active suction, capillary suction, and viscous dipping. For each, we deduce the dependence of the volume intake rate on the nectar viscosity and thus infer an optimal sugar concentration consistent with laboratory measurements. Our results provide the first rationale for why suction feeders typically pollinate flowers with lower sugar concentration nectar than their counterparts that use viscous dipping.
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Köhler A, Leseigneur CDC, Verburgt L, Nicolson SW. Dilute bird nectars: viscosity constrains food intake by licking in a sunbird. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2010; 299:R1068-74. [PMID: 20686174 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00208.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Floral nectars of bird-pollinated plants are relatively dilute. One hypothesis proposed to explain this concerns the difficulty for birds of drinking nectar of high viscosity. We examined the effects of viscosity, separately from those of sugar concentration, on feeding by captive whitebellied sunbirds (Cinnyris talatala). Viscosities of artificial nectar (sucrose solutions ranging in concentration from 0.25 to 1.5 mol/l) were altered with Tylose, an inert polysaccharide. Food consumption was measured over 3 h, and lick frequency and duration were recorded using photodetection devices on feeding apertures too small for the bill but large enough for the extended tongue. Volumetric intake rates (ml/s) were inversely proportional to nectar viscosity, and were similar over the range of sucrose concentrations when viscosity was held constant. Sucrose intake rates (mg/s) remained the same on pure sucrose solutions, but they decreased with increasing viscosity at a constant sucrose concentration. Lick frequencies and tongue loads were reduced at high viscosities, and lick duration increased, which confirms that sunbirds take longer to ingest viscous solutions. Licking behavior was remarkably similar in birds feeding on different sucrose concentrations if viscosity was held constant. Nectar ingestion rate is determined by viscosity; however, total food intake is mainly modulated by sugar concentration. Similar effects of food viscosity have been observed in insects that suck nectar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Köhler
- Dept. of Zoology and Entomology, Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa
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Tiple AD, Khurad AM, Dennis RLH. Adult butterfly feeding–nectar flower associations: constraints of taxonomic affiliation, butterfly, and nectar flower morphology. J NAT HIST 2009. [DOI: 10.1080/00222930802610568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Borrell BJ. Scaling of Nectar Foraging in Orchid Bees. Am Nat 2007; 169:569-80. [PMID: 17427129 DOI: 10.1086/512689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2006] [Accepted: 11/21/2006] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Morphology influences the rate at which foraging bees visit nectar flowers, the quantity of nectar they must consume to fuel their activities, and, consequently, the profitability of flower species. Because feeding time is a major determinant of visitation rate, I used a biomechanical model to examine how energy intake rate (E) varies with sucrose concentration, body mass (M), and proboscis length in orchid bees (Apidae: Euglossini). Under geometric scaling, the optimal sugar concentration (Smax) should be largely independent of body size, and E proportional to M1.0. In a comparative study of 30 orchid bee species ranging from 50 to 800 mg, Smax fell between 35% and 40% w/w, but E proportional to M0.54, significantly less than model predictions. Proboscis length and radius scale geometrically with body mass, but proboscis length exhibits substantial size-independent variation, particularly in small bees. One cost of a long proboscis is a reduction in both E and Smax in accordance with the scaling model. This finding highlights a difference between the lapping mechanism used by bumblebees and the suction mechanism used by orchid bees. A field study confirms that orchid bees harvest nectars with between 34% and 42% sucrose, independent of body size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Borrell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
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Borrell BJ. Mechanics of nectar feeding in the orchid beeEuglossa imperialis: pressure, viscosity and flow. J Exp Biol 2006; 209:4901-7. [PMID: 17142679 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.02593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYThe orchid bee Euglossa imperialis sucks nectars through a slender proboscis. I tested how nectar properties influence this suction pressure and whether ambient air pressure sets the upper limit for suction feeding. Nectar intake rate was measured as a function of sucrose concentration (5-75% w/w),nectar viscosity (2-80 mPa s), and ambient pressure (101-40 kPa). Intake rate declines from about 1.2 μl s-1 to 0.003 μl s-1 as sucrose concentration increases from 15% to 65% sucrose. When sucrose concentration is held at 25% while viscosity increases from 2 to 80 mPa s,intake rate declines. When viscosity is held at 10.2 mPa s (the viscosity of 50% sucrose) while sucrose concentration increases from 5% to 50%, intake rate remains constant. Intake rate was limited by a reduction in ambient pressure at all nectar concentrations. Assuming a rigid proboscis, the Hagen-Poiseuille equation suggests that suction pressure increases with viscosity from 10 kPa at 5% sucrose to 45 kPa at 65% sucrose. However, because intake rate declined by the same fraction under hypobaria (40 kPa) at all sucrose concentrations,the euglossine bee proboscis may be better described as a collapsible tube:expanding or collapsing depending on the flow rate, the pressure gradient along the proboscis, and circumferential forces imposed by the proboscis walls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brendan J Borrell
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3140, USA.
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Eberhard SH, Krenn HW. Anatomy of the oral valve in nymphalid butterflies and a functional model for fluid uptake in Lepidoptera. ZOOL ANZ 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcz.2005.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Mevi-Schutz J, Erhardt A. Amino acids in nectar enhance butterfly fecundity: a long-awaited link. Am Nat 2005; 165:411-9. [PMID: 15791533 DOI: 10.1086/429150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2004] [Accepted: 01/11/2005] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Thirty years ago, researchers discovered that flowers pollinated by butterflies are consistently rich in nectar amino acids, and more recent findings have shown that butterflies prefer nectar with high amino acid content. These observations led to speculation that amino acids in nectar enhance butterfly fitness and that butterflies have acted as agents of natural selection on nectar composition. Despite a number of experimental efforts over the years, convincing proof that nectar amino acids affect butterfly fitness has been lacking. Here, we provide the first evidence that amino acids in nectar have a positive effect on fecundity of one butterfly species, supporting the existence of a relationship between nectar preferences and fitness benefits. Map butterflies (Araschnia levana L.) raised under natural larval food conditions laid more eggs when they were fed nectar containing amino acids, whereas nectar amino acids had no effect on the number of eggs laid by butterflies raised on larval food rich in nitrogen. Uptake and utilization of nectar amino acids by map butterflies appear to be compensatory mechanisms enabling them to override impacts of poor larval food. These results provide strong support for the long-standing postulate that nectar amino acids benefit butterflies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovanne Mevi-Schutz
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Basel, St. Johanns Vorstadt 10, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland.
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Mevi-Schütz J, Erhardt A. LARVAL NUTRITION AFFECTS FEMALE NECTAR AMINO ACID PREFERENCE IN THE MAP BUTTERFLY (ARASCHNIA LEVANA). Ecology 2003. [DOI: 10.1890/02-3108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Roces F, Farina WM, Josens RB. Nectar feeding by the ant Camponotus mus: intake rate and crop filling as a function of sucrose concentration. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 1998; 44:579-585. [PMID: 12769940 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1910(98)00053-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
In independent assays, workers of the ant Camponotus mus were conditioned to visit an arena where they found a large drop of sucrose solution of different concentrations, from 5 to 70% weight on weight (w/w). Single ants were allowed to collect the sucrose solution ad libitum, and feeding time, feeding interruptions, crop load, and intake rates were recorded. Feeding time increased exponentially with sucrose concentration, and this relationship was quantitatively described by the increase in viscosity with concentration corresponding to pure sucrose solutions. Ants collecting dilute solutions (5 to 15% w/w) returned to the nest with partial crop loads. Crop filling increased with increasing sucrose concentration, and reached a maximum at 42.6% w/w. Workers collecting highly concentrated solutions (70% w/w) also returned to the nest with a partially-filled crop, as observed for dilute solutions. Nectar intake rate was observed to increase with increasing sucrose concentration in the range 5 to 30% sucrose. It reached a maximum at 30.8%, and declined with increasing sucrose concentration. Results suggest that both sucrose concentration and viscosity of the ingested solution modulate feeding mechanics as well as the worker's decision about the load size to be collected before leaving the source.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Roces
- Zoologie II, Biozentrum der Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany
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Abstract
Water exchange between insects and their environment via the vapour phase includes influx and efflux components. The pressure cycle theory postulates that insects (and some other arthropods) can regulate the relative rates of influx and efflux of water vapour by modulating hydrostatic pressures at a vapour-liquid interface by compressing or expanding a sealed, gas-filled cavity. Some such cavities, like the tracheal system, could be compressed by elevated pressure in all or part of the haemocoele. Others, perhaps including the muscular rectum of flea prepupae, could be compressed by intrinsic muscles. MaddrellInsect Physiol. 8, 199 (1971)) suggested a pressure cycle mechanism of this kind to account for rectal uptake of water vapour inThermobiabut did not find it compatible with quantitative information then available. Newer evidence conforms better with the proposed mechanism. Cyclical pressure changes are of widespread occurrence in insects and have sometimes been shown to depend on water status. Evidence is reviewed for the role of the tracheal system as an avenue for net exchange of water between the insect and its environment. Because water and respiratory gases share common pathways, most published findings fail to distinguish between the conventional view that the tracheal system has evolved as a site for distribution and exchange of respiratory gases and that any water exchange occurring in it is generally incidental and nonadaptive, and the theory proposed here. The pressure cycle theory offers a supplementary explanation not incompatible with evidence so far available. The relative importance of water economy and respiratory exchange in the functioning of compressible cavities such as the tracheal system remains to be explored. Some further implications of the pressure cycle theory are discussed. Consideration is given to the possible involvement of vapour-phase transport in the internal redistribution of water within the body. It is suggested that some insect wings may constitute internal vapour-liquid exchange sites, where water can move from the body fluids to the intratracheal gas. Ambient and body temperature must influence rates of vapour-liquid mass transfer. If elevated body temperature promotes evaporative discharge of the metabolic water burden that has been shown to accumulate during flight in some large insects, their minimum threshold thoracic temperature for sustained flight may relate to the maintenance of water balance. The role of water economy in the early evolution of insect wings is considered. Pressure cycles might help to maintain water balance in surface-breathing insects living in fresh and saline waters, but the turbulence of the surface of the open sea might prevent truly marine forms from using this mechanism.
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Mitchell RJ, Paton DC. Effects of nectar volume and concentration on sugar intake rates of Australian honeyeaters (Meliphagidae). Oecologia 1990; 83:238-46. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00317758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/1989] [Accepted: 12/23/1989] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Hill CJ, Pierce NE. The effect of adult diet on the biology of butterflies : 1. The common imperial blue, Jalmenus evagoras. Oecologia 1989; 81:249-257. [PMID: 28312544 DOI: 10.1007/bf00379812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/1988] [Accepted: 06/13/1989] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
This study examines the effect that sugars and amino acids in the adult diet of Jalmenus evagoras can have on female feeding behaviour, somatic maintenance, longevity, fecundity and egg weight. The presence of sugars in their adult food stimulated butterflies of this species to feed, and they appeared to compensate for low (1% wt/wt) sugar diets by feeding for longer periods. Butterflies were also more likely to feed on diets containing amino acids than on water controls. The availability of sugar allowed females to maintain or even increase their body weight and fat body size, but amino acids had no effect on these variables. Individuals on the medium (25% wt/wt) sugar diet attained the greatest longevity. Female fecundity was increased as much as threefold by the availability of sugar. However, amino acids in the diet had no effect on either longevity or fecundity. Egg weight was not affected by the concentration of sugars or amino acids in the adult diet, but was correlated with the weight of the female butterfly. These results demonstrate that the availability of carbohydrates in the adult diet could play an important role in the population dynamics of this species. However, the presence of amino acids had little effect on most of the variables measured, nor was there any interaction effect between sugars and amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Hill
- School of Australian Environmental Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, 4111, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - N E Pierce
- School of Australian Environmental Studies, Griffith University, Nathan, 4111, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Pollinator abundance, morphology, and flower visitation rate: analysis of the "quantity" component in a plant-pollinator system. Oecologia 1989; 80:241-248. [PMID: 28313114 DOI: 10.1007/bf00380158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 152] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/1988] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Abundance and flower visitation rate of the pollinators of Lavandula latifolia (Labiatae), an insect-pollinated shrub, were studied over a 6-year period. The objective was to elucidate interspecific patterns in the "quantity" component of the plant-pollinator interaction. A total of 54 insect taxa are considered in the analyses, including hynenopterans, dipterans and lepidopterans. Most pollinators were comparatively scarce, with a few taxa acounting collectively for the majority of individuals. Pollinators differed broadly in flower visitation rate (0.2-30 flowers/min). Most of this variation was explained by differences in flower handling time (HT). Regardless of proboscis length, hymenopterans had intrinsically shorter handling times than lepidopterans. Within each group, HT decreased exponentially with increasing proboscis length. Abundance and visitation rate were uncorrelated across pollinator taxa. The total number of visits that each pollinator contributed to the plant (NFV) was estimated as the product of abundance x visitation rate. NFV values spanned four orders of magnirade. A small, taxonomically diverse group of species (1 moth, 1 butterfly, 4 bees) accounted for most visits and thus could effectively exert some selection on floral features. Nevertheless, the morphological diversity represented in this group of dominant pollinators probably constrains plant specialization, as they will most likely select for different floral features or in opposing directions on the same traits.
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Mechanical determinants of nectar-feeding energetics in butterflies: muscle mechanics, feeding geometry, and functional equivalence. Oecologia 1989; 79:66-75. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00378241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/1988] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Tamm S, Gass CL. Energy intake rates and nectar concentration preferences by hummingbirds. Oecologia 1986; 70:20-23. [PMID: 28311283 DOI: 10.1007/bf00377107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/1986] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
In a series of daul choice tests with large volume feeders, rufous hummingbirds preferred sucrose concentrations near those that maximized their instantaneous rates of energy intake. As predicted on theoretical grounds, energy intake rates increased with increasing sucrose concentration to a maximum then decreased above this maximum. Earlier experimental studies suggested that hummingbirds always prefer the highest available concentration. Our results are consistent with the data of these studies, but by using a wider range of concentrations than previous workers, we found that the hummingbirds discriminated against very concentrated solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Staffan Tamm
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, V6T 1W5, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
| | - Clifton Lee Gass
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, V6T 1W5, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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50
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Effects of nectar concentration and flower depth on flower handling efficiency of bumble bees. Oecologia 1986; 69:309-315. [DOI: 10.1007/bf00377639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/1985] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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