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Johnson SD, Balducci MG. Settling moth pollination of a rare orchid in the Habenaria clade revealed with close-focusing camera traps. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2024. [PMID: 39046935 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
It is challenging to make nocturnal observations of the natural behaviour of flower-visiting moths as they are highly sensitive to visible artificial light sources. One solution, implemented here, is to use specially-adapted close-focusing camera traps that rely on infrared wavelengths for detection and illumination of small insect subjects. We investigated the pollination system of Bonatea saundersiodes, a rare African terrestrial orchid that is phylogenetically nested in the large Habenaria clade. We used modified camera traps and direct observations to study the pollination system of B. saundersioides. We quantified floral traits, including morphology, nectar, spectral reflectance and scent chemistry. Flowers of this orchid species were found to be pollinated exclusively by settling noctuid moths. Moth visits to the orchid were recorded throughout the night, with peaks of activity after dusk and just before dawn. Pollinaria of the orchid are attached between the palps of visiting moths. Floral traits generally consistent with settling moth pollination include the relatively short floral spurs (ca. 20 mm) containing small amounts of nectar, white and green perianth segments, and the floral scent which is produced at night and is dominated by β-ocimene and other terpenoid compounds. This study demonstrates that close-focusing camera traps have tremendous potential to improve our understanding of plant-pollinator interactions which are not easy to study using traditional methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Johnson
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - M G Balducci
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
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2
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Ancajima GP, Alicrin DA Silva M, DE Oliveira PE, Duarte M. Study of the pollen type in Neotropical hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae: Macroglossinae) collected in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Integr Zool 2024; 19:777-783. [PMID: 37989725 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
We recorded 14 pollen types belonging to 12 families of angiosperms. Pera (Peraceae) pollen type was found in all genera and was the most abundant. Our results suggest low specificity in the choice of flowers; thus, Sphingids with either short or long proboscises visited flowers of the same species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maicon Alicrin DA Silva
- Laboratory of Micropaleontology-Setembrino Petri; Department of Sedimentary and Environmental Geology, Institute of Geosciences (São Paulo University), São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Botany, Institute of Biosciences (São Paulo University), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paulo Eduardo DE Oliveira
- Laboratory of Micropaleontology-Setembrino Petri; Department of Sedimentary and Environmental Geology, Institute of Geosciences (São Paulo University), São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Botany, Institute of Biosciences (São Paulo University), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Duarte
- Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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Wang X, Fu X, Shi M, Xue C, Yang J, Zhao Z, Li S, Tu T. Multiple interaction networks reveal that Lepidoptera larvae and adults prefer various host plants for diet and pollination. Integr Zool 2024; 19:763-776. [PMID: 37427545 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12745] [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] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Plant-Lepidoptera interactions are often studied using the pollination or herbivore networks only. Lepidoptera species are involved in two types of plant-insect interactions because they are herbivores as larvae and pollinators as adults. The study of entangled networks is critical, since the interaction of different networks can affect the overall network and community stability. Here, we studied the interaction of plants and Lepidoptera on the Yongxing Island, South China Sea. A plant-lepidopteran pollination network and a plant-lepidopteran herbivore network were built by using data from flower-pollinator and leaf-herbivore interactions. We then combined the two networks into a single network. We measured plant composition similarity within each sub-network and across sub-networks for Lepidoptera species. Our findings indicate that the plant-Lepidoptera pollination network and the herbivory network share significant proportions of Lepidoptera but small proportions of plant assemblages. The pollination network had higher nestedness and connectance than the herbivore network. Agrius convolvuli was the most specialized species, while Zizina otis had the highest species strength in the pollination network. Most Lepidoptera species were highly specialized in the herbivore network and their importance positively correlated across the two networks. Furthermore, there was no dietary composition similarity between the two networks for most Lepidoptera species. Our findings highlight the visible structural difference between the pollination and the herbivore networks. Adult Lepidoptera selects different plants for oviposition and feeding, a strategy that may benefit their reproduction and survival by sustaining adequate resources for their two life stages and the diversity of both plants and insects in oceanic island communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Fu
- Ningxia Yunwu Mountain National Natural Reserve, Guyuan, China
| | - Miaomiao Shi
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunquan Xue
- Guangdong Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiazhi Yang
- Guangdong Forestry Survey and Planning Institute, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhongtao Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shijin Li
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tieyao Tu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- South China National Botanical Garden, Guangzhou, China
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4
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Zenchyzen B, Acorn JH, Merkosky K, Hall JC. Shining a light on UV-fluorescent floral nectar after 50 years. Sci Rep 2024; 14:11992. [PMID: 38796543 PMCID: PMC11128001 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-62626-7] [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: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Nature is aglow with numerous captivating examples of UV-fluorescence in the animal kingdom. Despite a putative role as a visual signal, exploration of UV-fluorescence in plants and its role in plant-animal interactions is lagging in comparison. Almost 50 years ago, UV-fluorescence of floral nectar, a crucial reward for pollinators, was reported for 23 flowering plant species. Since this intriguing discovery, UV-fluorescent nectar has only seldom been addressed in the scientific literature and has not been scrutinized in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Here, we report the prevalence of vibrant UV-fluorescent floral nectar across the family Cleomaceae, including the first photographic documentation in vivo colour for flowering plants. Though Cleomaceae flowers are morphologically diverse varying in colour, nectary prominence, and nectar volume, UV-fluorescent floral nectar may be a ubiquitous characteristic of the family. Fluorescence spectra show that the identity and number of fluorescent compounds in floral nectar may differ among Cleomaceae species. As Cleomaceae pollinators range from insects to bats and birds, we suggest that the UV-fluorescent floral nectar not only functions as a visual cue for the diurnal pollinators but also for the nocturnal/crepuscular pollinators in low light settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandi Zenchyzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - John H Acorn
- Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Kian Merkosky
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Jocelyn C Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
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5
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Wang B, Tong ZY, Xiong YZ, Wang XF, Scott Armbruster W, Huang SQ. The evolution of flower-pollinator trait matching, and why do some alpine gingers appear to be mismatched? ANNALS OF BOTANY 2023; 132:1073-1088. [PMID: 37751161 PMCID: PMC10809048 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Morphological matching between flower and pollinator traits has been documented in diverse plant lineages. Indeed, the matching of corolla tube length and pollinator tongue length has been cited repeatedly as a classic case of coevolution. However, there are many possible evolutionary routes to trait matching. Our aim here is both to review the evolutionary mechanisms of plant-pollinator trait matching and to investigate a specific case of trait matching/mismatching in a genus of alpine gingers. METHODS Roscoea gingers with long corolla tubes in the western Himalayas have pollinators with correspondingly long tongues, but the match between corolla tube and pollinator tongue lengths is not seen in the eastern Himalayas. Six floral traits were measured, including corolla tube depth, an internal trait controlling pollinator access to nectar. We calculated coefficients of variation and phylogenetically controlled correlation patterns of these traits in six Roscoea species in order to gain possible insights into stabilizing selection and modularization of these traits. KEY RESULTS The distal (nectar-containing) portion of the corolla tube exhibited lower coefficients of variations than did the basal portion. This is consistent with the hypothesis that pollinators mediate stabilizing selection on the distal, but not basal, portion of the corolla tube. This result, combined with phylogenetic data, suggests that the elevated liquid level of nectar in the distal tube evolved subsequent to dispersal into the eastern Himalayan region and loss of long-tongue pollinators. After accounting for phylogeny, corolla tube length, anther length, style length and labellum width were all intercorrelated. Corolla-tube depth was not part of this covariational module, however, suggesting separate adaptation to short-tongued pollinators. CONCLUSIONS The reduction in functional corolla tube depth in the Roscoea appears to be related to the loss of long-tongued pollinators associated with dispersal to the eastern Himalayas and pollination by short-tongued pollinators. The apparent mismatch between floral tubes and pollinator tongues is a case of cryptic trait matching between flowers and pollinators, underscoring the importance of combining floral anatomy with pollination ecology in assessing plant-pollinator trait matching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, The College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Ze-Yu Tong
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Ying-Ze Xiong
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, The College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - W Scott Armbruster
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO12DY, UK
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Shuang-Quan Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
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6
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Palaoro AV, Gole AR, Sun Y, Puchalski A, Beard CE, Adler PH, Kornev KG. Wettability and morphology of proboscises interweave with hawkmoth evolutionary history. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245699. [PMID: 37724664 PMCID: PMC10617603 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245699] [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: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Hovering hawkmoths expend significant energy while feeding, which should select for greater feeding efficiency. Although increased feeding efficiency has been implicitly assumed, it has never been assessed. We hypothesized that hawkmoths have proboscises specialized for gathering nectar passively. Using contact angle and capillary pressure to evaluate capillary action of the proboscis, we conducted a comparative analysis of wetting and absorption properties for 13 species of hawkmoths. We showed that all 13 species have a hydrophilic proboscis. In contradistinction, the proboscises of all other tested lepidopteran species have a wetting dichotomy with only the distal ∼10% hydrophilic. Longer proboscises are more wettable, suggesting that species of hawkmoths with long proboscises are more efficient at acquiring nectar by the proboscis surface than are species with shorter proboscises. All hawkmoth species also show strong capillary pressure, which, together with the feeding behaviors we observed, ensures that nectar will be delivered to the food canal efficiently. The patterns we found suggest that different subfamilies of hawkmoths use different feeding strategies. Our comparative approach reveals that hawkmoths are unique among Lepidoptera and highlights the importance of considering the physical characteristics of the proboscis to understand the evolution and diversification of hawkmoths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre V. Palaoro
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Akshata R. Gole
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Yueming Sun
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Adam Puchalski
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Charles E. Beard
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Peter H. Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Konstantin G. Kornev
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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7
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Zenchyzen B, Weissner S, Martin J, Lopushinsky A, John I, Nahal I, Hall JC. Comparative Nectary Morphology across Cleomaceae (Brassicales). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:1263. [PMID: 36986951 PMCID: PMC10051628 DOI: 10.3390/plants12061263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Floral nectaries have evolved multiple times and rapidly diversified with the adaptive radiation of animal pollinators. As such, floral nectaries exhibit extraordinary variation in location, size, shape, and secretory mechanism. Despite the intricate ties to pollinator interactions, floral nectaries are often overlooked in morphological and developmental studies. As Cleomaceae exhibits substantial floral diversity, our objective was to describe and compare floral nectaries between and within genera. Floral nectary morphology was assessed through scanning electron microscopy and histology across three developmental stages of nine Cleomaceae species including representatives for seven genera. A modified fast green and safranin O staining protocol was used to yield vibrant sections without highly hazardous chemicals. Cleomaceae floral nectaries are most commonly receptacular, located between the perianth and stamens. The floral nectaries are supplied by vasculature, often contain nectary parenchyma, and have nectarostomata. Despite the shared location, components, and secretory mechanism, the floral nectaries display dramatic diversity in size and shape, ranging from adaxial protrusions or concavities to annular disks. Our data reveal substantive lability in form with both adaxial and annular floral nectaries interspersed across Cleomaceae. Floral nectaries contribute to the vast morphological diversity of Cleomaceae flowers and so are valuable for taxonomic descriptions. Though Cleomaceae floral nectaries are often derived from the receptacle and receptacular nectaries are common across flowering plants, the role of the receptacle in floral evolution and diversification is overlooked and warrants further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandi Zenchyzen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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8
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A.J. Solomon Raju, S. Sravan Kumar, L. Kala Grace, K. Punny, Raliengoane TP, K. Prathyusha. Zoophily and nectar-robbing by sunbirds in Gardenia latifolia Ait. (Rubiaceae). JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2022. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.7930.14.8.21642-21650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Gardenia latifolia is a semi-deciduous tree species which blooms during the dry season. Its flowers are hermaphroditic, strongly fragrant, nectariferous, and specialized with a narrow corolla tube and concealed deep seated nectar. Thrips act as resident pollinators while bats and carpenter bees act as non-resident pollinators. Sunbirds act as nectar robbers and have no role in pollination. The flowers are milky white and fragrant on days 1 and 2; they cease fragrance and change color to golden yellow on day 3. Bats visit newly open, day 1 fragrant flowers for pollen collection while thrips use day 1 and day 2 flowers. Carpenter bees and sunbirds visit only day 2 flowers. The flower visiting activity of all these foragers indicates that they do not visit non-fragrant, golden yellow colored flowers although they possess nectar. Fruit is an indehiscent berry with seeds placed in pulp inside; the birds are the most likely seed dispersal agents when they break the pericarp and feed on the fruit pulp.
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9
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Wang X, Hu D, Chen Y, Xiang M, Tang H, Yi Y, Tang X. Ancillary polymorphic floral traits between two morphs adaptive to hawkmoth pollination in distylous plant Tirpitzia sinensis (Linaceae). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:273. [PMID: 35655126 PMCID: PMC9164504 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-03659-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Floral morphs are characterized differentiations in reciprocal positions of sexual organs and ancillary floral traits in heterostylous plants. However, it remains unclear how differential floral morphs ensure reproductive success between morphs using the same pollinator. RESULTS Measurements of floral traits in white-flowered Tirpitzia sinensis with long corolla tubes indicated that it is typically distylous, long-styled (L-) morph producing more but smaller pollen grains per flower than short-styled (S-) morph. Both morphs secreted more nectar volume at night than in the day and the sugar composition was rich in sucrose, potentially adaptive to pollination by hawkmoths (Macroglossum spp.) which were active at dusk. A bumblebee species functioned as the nectar robber in both morphs and a honeybee as the pollen feeder in the S-morph. The L-morph secreted more nectar volume but relatively lower sucrose/hexose ratio than the S-morph. Floral visitation rate by hawkmoths was higher but its pollination efficiency was lower in the S-morph than the L-morph. Hand pollination treatments indicated self-incompatibility in T. sinensis and seed set of open-pollinated flowers did not differ between morphs. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the two morphs differ with respect to traits relevant to pollination. The L-morph, with its exserted stigma, has more pollen grains per anther and a greater volume of nectar, which may prolong the foraging time and increase the pollination efficiency of hawkmoths. The S-morph has a higher sucrose/hexose ratio in its nectar which can be more attractive to hawkmoths and increase the visit rates. Ancillary polymorphic floral traits between two morphs are adaptive to hawkmoth and ensure reproductive success in distylous plant T. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyue Wang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Demei Hu
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Mengda Xiang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Hanqing Tang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Yin Yi
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Xiaoxin Tang
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry Administration On Biodiversity Conservation in Karst Mountainous Areas of Southwestern China, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, 550025, China.
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10
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Rubin JJ. Darwin’s Hawkmoth (
Xanthopan praedicta
) responds to bat ultrasound at sonar‐jamming rates. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliette J. Rubin
- Department of Biology University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
- McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
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11
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Smith GP, Davidowitz G, Alarcón R, Papaj DR, Bronstein JL. Sex differences in the foraging behavior of a generalist hawkmoth. INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 29:304-314. [PMID: 33908191 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Within-species variation in pollinator behavior is widely observed, but its causes have been minimally investigated. Pollinator sex is associated with large differences in behavior that may lead to predictable differences in flower foraging, but this expectation has not been explicitly tested. We investigate sex-associated differences in nectar-foraging behavior of the hawkmoth Hyles lineata, using pollen on the proboscis as a proxy for flower visitation. We tested two predictions emerging from the literature: (1) the sexes differ in the flower species they visit, (2) females are more specialized in flower choice. We also examined potential drivers underlying these predictions by performing field and laboratory experiments to test whether males (3) switch among flower species more frequently, or (4) fly farther and therefore encounter more species than females. Consistent with prediction (1), pollen load composition differed between the sexes, indicative of visitation differences. Contrary to prediction (2), females consistently carried more species-rich pollen loads than males. (3) Both sexes switched between flower species at similar rates, suggesting that differences in floral fidelity are unlikely to explain why females are less specialized than males. (4) Males flew longer distances than females; coupled with larger between-site differences in pollen composition for females, this result suggests that sex differences in mobility influence foraging, and that females may forage more frequently and in smaller areas than males. Together, our results demonstrate that sex-associated foraging differences can be large and consistent over time, and highlight the importance of sex as a driver of variation in pollinator behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon P Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
- Current address: Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Goggy Davidowitz
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Ruben Alarcón
- Department of Biology, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, California, USA
| | - Daniel R Papaj
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Judith L Bronstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
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12
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Klomberg Y, Tropek R, Mertens JEJ, Kobe IN, Hodeček J, Raška J, Fominka NT, Souto-Vilarós D, Janečková P, Janeček Š. Spatiotemporal variation in the role of floral traits in shaping tropical plant-pollinator interactions. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:839-850. [PMID: 35006639 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The pollination syndrome hypothesis predicts that plants pollinated by the same pollinator group bear convergent combinations of specific floral functional traits. Nevertheless, some studies have shown that these combinations predict pollinators with relatively low accuracy. This discrepancy may be caused by changes in the importance of specific floral traits for different pollinator groups and under different environmental conditions. To explore this, we studied pollination systems and floral traits along an elevational gradient on Mount Cameroon during wet and dry seasons. Using Random Forest (Machine Learning) models, allowing the ranking of traits by their relative importance, we demonstrated that some floral traits are more important than others for pollinators. However, the distribution and importance of traits vary under different environmental conditions. Our results imply the need to improve our trait-based understanding of plant-pollinator interactions to better inform the debate surrounding the pollination syndrome hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Klomberg
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Tropek
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan E J Mertens
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ishmeal N Kobe
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jiří Hodeček
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan Raška
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Nestoral T Fominka
- Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | | | - Petra Janečková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Štěpán Janeček
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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Zhao YH, Lázaro A, Li HD, Tao ZB, Liang H, Zhou W, Ren ZX, Xu K, Li DZ, Wang H. Morphological trait-matching in plant-Hymenoptera and plant-Diptera mutualisms across an elevational gradient. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:196-209. [PMID: 34668568 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Morphological trait-matching and species abundance are thought to be the main factors affecting the frequency and strength of mutualistic interactions. However, the relative importance of trait-matching and species abundance in shaping species interactions across environmental gradients remains poorly understood, especially for plant-insect mutualisms involving generalist species. Here, we characterised variation in species and trait composition and the relative importance of trait-matching and species abundance in shaping plant-Hymenoptera and plant-Diptera mutualisms in four meadows across an elevational gradient (2,725-3,910 m) in Yulong Snow Mountain, Southwest China. We also evaluated the effects of morphological traits of flower visitors and plant composition on their foraging specialisation (d' and normalised degree). There was a high degree of dissimilarity in the composition of Hymenoptera and Diptera visitors and their visited plants between communities. This variation was mainly driven by the spatial replacement of species. Both for plant-Hymenoptera and plant-Diptera networks, trait-matching between nectar tube depth and proboscis length was a stronger predictor of the interactions between temporally co-occurring plants and flower visitors than species abundance. Fourth-corner analyses revealed statistically significant trait-matching between nectar tube depth and proboscis length in plant-Hymenoptera networks at all sites, suggesting that Hymenoptera consistently foraged on plant species with nectar tube depths matching their proboscis lengths. By contrast, significant trait-matching in plant-Diptera networks was only observed at the two lower elevation sites. The species-level specialisation d' of flower visitors increased significantly as the proboscis length and the difference in nectar tube depth between the plant community and the plants visited by flower visitors increased. Our results highlight that the importance of trait-matching in shaping pairwise interactions and niche partitioning depends on the specific features (e.g. species composition and trait availability) of the plant-pollinator system. For specialised plant-Hymenoptera systems, trait-matching is an important determinant of species interactions, whereas for generalist plant-Diptera systems, trait-matching is relatively unimportant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Hui Zhao
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Amparo Lázaro
- Global Change Research Group, Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (UIB-CSIC), Esporles, Spain
| | - Hai-Dong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Bin Tao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Huan Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Zong-Xin Ren
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Kun Xu
- Lijiang Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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Corolla Abscission Triggered by Nectar Robbers Positively Affects Reproduction by Enhancing Self-Pollination in Symphytum officinale (Boraginaceae). BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10090903. [PMID: 34571781 PMCID: PMC8471318 DOI: 10.3390/biology10090903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Nectar robbers affect plant fitness in different degrees and in different ways, potentially constituting an important part of pollination interactions. While the negative effects of nectar robbing on plant reproductive success have been widely reported, the positive effects are quite unclear. Hence, our study was designed to assess the effects of nectar robbers on reproductive success of Symphytum officinale. This will help in understanding the evolutionary significance of mutualistic relationships between plants and their visitors. Abstract Nectar robbers, which affect plant fitness (directly or indirectly) in different degrees and in different ways, potentially constitute a significant part of mutualistic relationships. While the negative effects of nectar robbing on plant reproductive success have been widely reported, the positive effects remain unknown. The target of our study was to evaluate the effects of nectar robbers on the reproductive success of Symphytum officinale (Boraginaceae). We observed the behavior, species and times of visitors in the field, and we assessed the effect of nectar robbers on corolla abscission rate and time. To test the fitness of corolla abscission, we detected the changes in stigma receptivity, pollen viability, pollen amount and appendage opening size along with the time of flower blossom. The flowering dynamics and floral structure were observed to reveal the mechanism of self-pollination. Finally, pollen deposition seed set rate and fruit set rate were determined to estimate the effect of nectar robbers on reproduction success. We observed 14 species of visitors and 2539 visits in 50 h of observation; 91.7% of them were nectar robbers. The pressure and nectar removal of nectar robbers significantly promoted corolla abscission during a period when pollen grains are viable and the stigma is receptive. In addition, corolla abscission significantly increased the pollen deposition and seed setting rate. Our results demonstrate that nectar robbing contributes to enhancing seed production and positively and indirectly impacts the reproductive success of S. officinale. This mechanism involved the movement of anthers and indirect participation by nectar robbers, which was rarely investigated. Considering the multiple consequences of nectar robbing, understanding the impact of nectar robbers on plant reproduction is essential to comprehend the evolutionary importance of relationships between plants and their visitors.
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Sakagami K, Funamoto D, Sugiura S. Nocturnal ambush predators and their potential impact on flower-visiting moths. Ecology 2021; 102:e03482. [PMID: 34289091 PMCID: PMC9286552 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kota Sakagami
- Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceKobe University1–1 RokkodaichoNada, KobeHyogo657–8501Japan
| | - Daichi Funamoto
- Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceKobe University1–1 RokkodaichoNada, KobeHyogo657–8501Japan
| | - Shinji Sugiura
- Graduate School of Agricultural ScienceKobe University1–1 RokkodaichoNada, KobeHyogo657–8501Japan
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Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9710. [PMID: 33958665 PMCID: PMC8102585 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89012-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Butterflies and moths are conspicuous flower visitors but their role in plant-pollinator interactions has rarely been quantified, especially in tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually no knowledge of environmental factors affecting the role of lepidopterans in pollination networks. We videorecorded flower-visiting butterflies and hawkmoths on 212 plant species (> 26,000 recorded hrs) along the complete elevational gradient of rainforests on Mount Cameroon in dry and wet seasons. Altogether, we recorded 734 flower visits by 80 butterfly and 27 hawkmoth species, representing only ~ 4% of all flower visits. Although lepidopterans visited flowers of only a third of the plant species, they appeared to be key visitors for several plants. Lepidopterans visited flowers most frequently at mid-elevations and dry season, mirroring their local elevational patterns of diversity. Characteristics of interaction networks showed no apparent elevational or seasonal patterns, probably because of the high specialisation of all networks. Significant non-linear changes of proboscis and forewing lengths were found along elevation. A positive relationship between the lengths of proboscis of hesperiid butterflies and tube of visited flowers was detected. Differences in floral preferences were found between sphingids and butterflies, revealing the importance of nectar production, floral size and shape for sphingids, and floral colour for butterflies. The revealed trait-matching and floral preferences confirmed their potential to drive floral evolution in tropical ecosystems.
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Byers KJRP, Bradshaw HD. Rational Design of a Novel Hawkmoth Pollinator Interaction in Mimulus Section Erythranthe. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.658710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diversification of theca. 275,000 extant flowering plant species has been driven in large part by coevolution with animal pollinators. A recurring pattern of pollinator shifts from hummingbird to hawkmoth pollination has characterized plant speciation in many western North American plant taxa, but in the genusMimulus(monkeyflowers) sectionErythranthethe evolution of hawkmoth pollination from hummingbird-pollinated ancestors has not occurred. We manipulated two flower color loci and tested the attractiveness of the resulting four color phenotypes (red, yellow, pink, and white) to naïve hawkmoths (Manduca sexta). Hawkmoths strongly prefer derived colors (yellow, pink, white) over the ancestral red when choosing an initial flower to visit, and generally preferred derived colors when total visits and total visit time were considered, with no hawkmoth preferring ancestral red over derived colors. The simple flower color genetics underlying this innate pollinator preference suggests a potential path for speciation into an unfilled hawkmoth-pollinated niche inMimulussectionErythranthe, and the deliberate design of a hawkmoth-pollinated flower demonstrates a new, predictive method for studying pollination syndrome evolution.
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Moyo M, Aremu AO. Nutritional, phytochemical and diverse health-promoting qualities of Cleome gynandra. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2021; 62:3535-3552. [PMID: 33397131 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1867055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Cleome gynandra (Syn. Gynandropsis gynandra) is fast emerging as one of the most widely consumed leafy vegetables due to its nutrition and health-promoting properties. In addition to its high nutritional content, the plant has a rich pool of diverse antioxidant phytochemicals. The current review provides a critical appraisal on the increasing nutritional significance of Cleome gynandra due to its rich pool of natural bioactive compounds and beneficial health-promoting qualities. The rich nutritional content especially the high levels of macro- and micronutrients is an indication of its potential to mitigate malnutrition and the increasing incidence of diet-related obesity and non-communicable diseases. The presence of health-promoting natural compounds, notably polyphenols, glucosinates and terpernoids has been confirmed in Cleome gynandra using different analytical methods. Cleome gynandra possesses high levels of α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, α-carotene, β-carotene, lutein, violaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. These nutritional compounds could be useful in food applications as supplements, colorants and extending shelf-life of food products. Cleome gynandra extracts have demonstrated promising effects in several biological assays using in vitro and in vivo systems. Clearly, diversified diets that include a regular intake of dark green leafy vegetables including Cleome gynandra, holds great promise in ensuring food and nutrition security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mack Moyo
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa
| | - Adeyemi O Aremu
- Indigenous Knowledge Systems Centre, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa.,Food Security and Safety Niche Area, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Mmabatho, South Africa
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Balducci MG, Van der Niet T, Johnson SD. Diel scent and nectar rhythms of an African orchid in relation to bimodal activity patterns of hawkmoth pollinators. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 126:1155-1164. [PMID: 32674148 PMCID: PMC7684705 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcaa132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The temporal dimensions of floral adaptation to pollinators are not yet well understood, partly because we lack accurate information on the diel rhythms of flower visitation for many pollinators. We investigated whether diel patterns of pollinator visitation to flowers of the African woodland orchid Bonatea polypodantha are synchronized with rhythms of floral anthesis, scent emission and nectar availability. METHODS Direct observations and motion-activated cameras were used to identify pollinators of B. polypodantha and to document their activity periods. The timing of pollinaria removal from flowers, emission of scent and availability of nectar was also measured. RESULTS We found that B. polypodantha is pollinated exclusively by short-tongued hawkmoths. Pollinaria of the orchid are affixed between the labial palps of the moths and brush over the protruding stigmatic arms. The flowers also receive visits by long-tongued hawkmoths, but these act as nectar thieves. Tracking of pollinaria removal from flowers confirmed that pollination occurs only at night. Camera footage revealed a striking crepuscular pattern of foraging by short-tongued hawkmoths with peaks of activity during the twilight periods at dusk and at dawn. In contrast, long-tongued hawkmoths were found to visit flowers throughout the night. Flowers of B. polypodantha exhibit unimodal peaks of anthesis, scent emission (dominated by nitrogenous aromatics) and nectar availability before or around dusk. CONCLUSIONS Flowers of B. polypodantha are pollinated exclusively by short-tongued hawkmoths, which show crepuscular foraging activity at dusk and dawn. Floral phenophases of the orchid are closely synchronized with the peak of pollinator activity at dusk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco G Balducci
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - Timotheüs Van der Niet
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - Steven D Johnson
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
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20
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Theron GL, Grenier F, Anderson BC, Ellis AG, Johnson SD, Midgley JM, van der Niet T. Key long-proboscid fly pollinator overlooked: morphological and molecular analyses reveal a new Prosoeca (Nemestrinidae) species. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Long-proboscid nemestrinid flies are keystone pollinators of dozens of Southern African plants and, consequently, their taxonomic status might have important consequences for insect and plant conservation. We focus on Prosoeca peringueyi, considered to be a single, morphologically variable species, upon which a guild of ~28 plants in the winter rainfall region depends for pollination. We quantified morphological variation and established whether it was associated with genetic variation within and among sites. Phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial COI gene revealed two well-supported clades. One clade contains long-proboscid individuals that conform morphologically to the holotype of P. peringueyi. The sister clade contains individuals that frequently occur sympatrically with P. peringueyi and have shorter proboscides, with additional diagnostic characters that set it apart from P. peringueyi. A haplotype analysis based on nuclear ribosomal 28S DNA sequences of a subset of individuals corroborated these results. Based on our results, we propose the recognition of two species: P. peringueyi and Prosoeca torquata sp. nov., which is described here. Future research is required to quantify the interaction networks of these two fly species and the plant guilds with which they interact, to facilitate conservation in the global biodiversity hotspot where they occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve L Theron
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - Florent Grenier
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Bruce C Anderson
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Allan G Ellis
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Matieland, South Africa
| | - Steven D Johnson
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
| | - John M Midgley
- Department of Natural Sciences, KwaZulu-Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - Timotheüs van der Niet
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, South Africa
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21
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Large mammals generate both top-down effects and extended trophic cascades on floral-visitor assemblages. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467419000142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractCascading effects of high trophic levels onto lower trophic levels have been documented in many ecosystems. Some studies also show evidence of extended trophic cascades, in which guilds dependent on lower trophic levels, but uninvolved in the trophic cascade themselves, are affected by the trophic cascade due to their dependence on lower trophic levels. Top-down effects of large mammals on plants could lead to a variety of extended trophic cascades on the many guilds dependent on plants, such as pollinators. In this study, floral-visitor and floral abundances and assemblages were quantified within a series of 1-ha manipulations of large-mammalian herbivore density in an African savanna. Top-down effects of large mammals on the composition of flowers available for floral visitors are first shown, using regressions of herbivore activity on metrics of floral and floral-visitor assemblages. An extended trophic cascade is also shown: the floral assemblage further altered the assemblage of floral visitors, according to a variety of approaches, including a structural equation modelling approach (model with an extended trophic cascade was supported over a model without, AICc weight = 0.984). Our study provides support for extended trophic cascades affecting floral visitors, suggesting that trophic cascades can have impacts throughout entire communities.
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22
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Liu CQ, Gao YD, Niu Y, Xiong YZ, Sun H. Floral adaptations of two lilies: implications for the evolution and pollination ecology of huge trumpet-shaped flowers. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2019; 106:622-632. [PMID: 31022316 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Evolutionary transitions among floral morphologies, many of which provide evidence for adaptation to novel pollinators, are common. Some trumpet-shaped flowers are among the largest flowers in angiosperms, occurring in different lineages. Our goal was to investigate the role of pollinators in the evolution of these flowers using Lilium. METHODS We investigated floral traits and pollinators of L. primulinum var. ochraceum and L. brownii var. viridulum and reviewed reports of visitors to huge trumpet-shaped flowers. Using a published phylogeny of Lilium, we reconstructed ancestral floral morphological states in Lilium to elucidate the origins of trumpet-shaped lilies. RESULTS Both lilies are largely self-incompatible and show floral syndromes indicative of hawkmoth pollination. The short trumpet-shaped lily can be pollinated by short-tongued (<40 mm) but not long-tongued hawkmoths (>65 mm), while the huge trumpet-shaped lily can be pollinated by both. A literature review including 22 species of trumpet-shaped flowers suggests that their pollinator guilds commonly include both short- and long-tongued moths. A phylogenetic reconstruction indicates that trumpet-shaped lilies possibly have multiple origins from tepal-reflexed ancestors, at least six of which have evolved huge flowers (>50 mm). CONCLUSIONS Adaptation to short-tongued hawkmoths may have initiated the evolution of trumpet-shaped lilies. Huge trumpet-shaped lilies may have evolved as a response to selection by long-tongued hawkmoths, without excluding the short-tongued ones. This evolutionary pathway leads to a functionally more generalized pollination system instead of an increasingly specialized one and is not necessarily associated with pollinator shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Qiu Liu
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Yun-Dong Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yang Niu
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying-Ze Xiong
- School of Life Sciences, China Central Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Hang Sun
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
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23
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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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Bayat S, Schranz ME, Roalson EH, Hall JC. Lessons from Cleomaceae, the Sister of Crucifers. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 23:808-821. [PMID: 30006074 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2018.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cleomaceae is a diverse group well-suited to addressing fundamental genomic and evolutionary questions as the sister group to Brassicaceae, facilitating transfer of knowledge from the model Arabidopsis thaliana. Phylogenetic and taxonomic revisions provide a framework for examining the evolution of substantive morphological and physiology diversity in Cleomaceae, but not necessarily in Brassicaceae. The investigation of both nested and contrasting whole-genome duplications (WGDs) between Cleomaceae and Brassicaceae allows comparisons of independently duplicated genes and investigation of whether they may be drivers of the observed innovations. Further, a wealth of outstanding genetic research has provided insight into how the important alternative carbon fixation pathway, C4 photosynthesis, has evolved via differential expression of a suite of genes, of which the underlying mechanisms are being elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Bayat
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada; RG Plant Cytogenomics, Central European Institute of Technology, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - M Eric Schranz
- Biosystematics Group, Wageningen University, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eric H Roalson
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
| | - Jocelyn C Hall
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
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Netz C, Renner SS. Long-spurred Angraecum orchids and long-tongued sphingid moths on Madagascar: a time frame for Darwin’s predicted Xanthopan/Angraecum coevolution. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
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Funamoto D, Sugiura S. Japanese white-eyes (Aves: Zosteropidae) as potential pollinators of summer-flowering Taxillus kaempferi (Loranthaceae). J NAT HIST 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1339366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daichi Funamoto
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Shinji Sugiura
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
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Payne CLR, Van Itterbeeck J. Ecosystem Services from Edible Insects in Agricultural Systems: A Review. INSECTS 2017; 8:insects8010024. [PMID: 28218635 PMCID: PMC5371952 DOI: 10.3390/insects8010024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2016] [Revised: 01/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Many of the most nutritionally and economically important edible insects are those that are harvested from existing agricultural systems. Current strategies of agricultural intensification focus predominantly on increasing crop yields, with no or little consideration of the repercussions this may have for the additional harvest and ecology of accompanying food insects. Yet such insects provide many valuable ecosystem services, and their sustainable management could be crucial to ensuring future food security. This review considers the multiple ecosystem services provided by edible insects in existing agricultural systems worldwide. Directly and indirectly, edible insects contribute to all four categories of ecosystem services as outlined by the Millennium Ecosystem Services definition: provisioning, regulating, maintaining, and cultural services. They are also responsible for ecosystem disservices, most notably significant crop damage. We argue that it is crucial for decision-makers to evaluate the costs and benefits of the presence of food insects in agricultural systems. We recommend that a key priority for further research is the quantification of the economic and environmental contribution of services and disservices from edible insects in agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte L R Payne
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3QY, UK.
| | - Joost Van Itterbeeck
- College of Arts, Department of History, Rikkyo University, Tokyo 171-8501, Japan.
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Johnson SD, Moré M, Amorim FW, Haber WA, Frankie GW, Stanley DA, Coccuci AA, Raguso RA. The long and the short of it: a global analysis of hawkmoth pollination niches and interaction networks. Funct Ecol 2016; 31:101-115. [PMID: 28344378 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
1. Proboscis length has been proposed as a key dimension of plant pollination niches, but this niche space has not previously been explored at regional and global scales for any pollination system. Hawkmoths are ideal organisms for exploring pollinator niches as they are important pollinators in most of the biodiverse regions of the earth and vary greatly in proboscis length, with some species having the longest proboscides of all insects. 2. Using datasets for nine biogeographical regions spanning the Old and New World, we ask whether it is possible to identify distinct hawkmoth pollination niches based on the frequency distribution of proboscis length, and whether these niches are reflected in the depths of flowers that are pollinated by hawkmoths. We also investigate the levels of specialization in hawkmoth pollination systems at the regional and community level using data from interaction network studies. 3. We found that most regional hawkmoth assemblages have bimodal or multimodal distributions of proboscis length, and that these are matched by similar distributions of floral tube lengths. Hawkmoths, particularly those with longer proboscides, are polyphagous and at the network level show foraging specialization equivalent to or less than that of bees and hummingbirds. In the case of plants, shorter-tubed flowers are usually visited by numerous hawkmoth species, while those that are longer-tubed tend to exclude shorter-proboscid hawkmoths and thus become ecologically specialized on longer-proboscid hawkmoth species. Longer-tubed flowers tend to have greater nectar rewards and this promotes short-term constancy by long-proboscid hawkmoths. 4. Our results show that pollinator proboscis length is a key niche axis for plants and can account for patterns of evolution in functional traits such as floral tube length and nectar volume. We also highlight a paradoxical trend for nectar resource niche breadth to increase according to proboscis length of pollinators, while pollinator niche breadth decreases according to the tube length of flowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D Johnson
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa
| | - Marcela Moré
- Laboratorio de Biologıa Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biologıa Vegetal (CONICET-UNCba), CC 495, CP 5000, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Felipe W Amorim
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Gordon W Frankie
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, UC Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dara A Stanley
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa
| | - Andrea A Coccuci
- Laboratorio de Biologıa Floral, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biologıa Vegetal (CONICET-UNCba), CC 495, CP 5000, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Robert A Raguso
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Haverkamp A, Bing J, Badeke E, Hansson BS, Knaden M. Innate olfactory preferences for flowers matching proboscis length ensure optimal energy gain in a hawkmoth. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11644. [PMID: 27173441 PMCID: PMC4869250 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cost efficient foraging is of especial importance for animals like hawkmoths or hummingbirds that are feeding 'on the wing', making their foraging energetically demanding. The economic decisions made by these animals have a strong influence on the plants they pollinate and floral volatiles are often guiding these decisions. Here we show that the hawkmoth Manduca sexta exhibits an innate preference for volatiles of those Nicotiana flowers, which match the length of the moth's proboscis. This preference becomes apparent already at the initial inflight encounter, with the odour plume. Free-flight respiration analyses combined with nectar calorimetry revealed a significant caloric gain per invested flight energy only for preferred-matching-flowers. Our data therefore support Darwin's initial hypothesis on the coevolution of flower length and moth proboscis. We demonstrate that this interaction is mediated by an adaptive and hardwired olfactory preference of the moth for flowers offering the highest net-energy reward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Haverkamp
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Julia Bing
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Elisa Badeke
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Bill S. Hansson
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Markus Knaden
- Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll Straße 8, D-07745 Jena, Germany
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Sazatornil FD, Moré M, Benitez-Vieyra S, Cocucci AA, Kitching IJ, Schlumpberger BO, Oliveira PE, Sazima M, Amorim FW. Beyond neutral and forbidden links: morphological matches and the assembly of mutualistic hawkmoth-plant networks. J Anim Ecol 2016; 85:1586-1594. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Federico D. Sazatornil
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba); Córdoba Argentina
| | - Marcela Moré
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba); Córdoba Argentina
| | - Santiago Benitez-Vieyra
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba); Córdoba Argentina
| | - Andrea A. Cocucci
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Córdoba); Córdoba Argentina
| | - Ian J. Kitching
- Department of Life Sciences; Natural History Museum; Cromwell Road London UK
| | | | - Paulo E. Oliveira
- Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Federal de Uberlândia; Uberlândia Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Marlies Sazima
- Departamento de Biologia Vegetal; Instituto de Biologia; Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Campinas São Paulo Brazil
| | - Felipe W. Amorim
- Departamento de Botânica; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade Estadual Paulista ‘Júlio de Mesquita Filho’; Botucatu São Paulo Brazil
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Johnson SD, Raguso RA. The long-tongued hawkmoth pollinator niche for native and invasive plants in Africa. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2016; 117:25-36. [PMID: 26346719 PMCID: PMC4701141 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcv137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Revised: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Unrelated organisms that share similar niches often exhibit patterns of convergent evolution in functional traits. Based on bimodal distributions of hawkmoth tongue lengths and tubular white flowers in Africa, this study hypothesized that long-tongued hawkmoths comprise a pollination niche (ecological opportunity) that is distinct from that of shorter-tongued hawkmoths. METHODS Field observations, light trapping, camera surveillance and pollen load analysis were used to identify pollinators of plant species with very long-tubed (>8 cm) flowers. The nectar properties and spectral reflectance of these flowers were also measured. The frequency distributions of proboscis length for all captured hawkmoths and floral tube length for a representative sample of night-blooming plant species were determined. The geographical distributions of both native and introduced plant species with very long floral tubes were mapped. KEY RESULTS The convolvulus hawkmoth Agrius convolvuli is identified as the most important pollinator of African plants with very long-tubed flowers. Plants pollinated by this hawkmoth species tend to have a very long (approx. 10 cm) and narrow flower tube or spur, white flowers and large volumes of dilute nectar. It is estimated that >70 grassland and savanna plant species in Africa belong to the Agrius pollination guild. In South Africa, at least 23 native species have very long floral tubes, and pollination by A. convolvuli or, rarely, by the closely related hawkmoth Coelonia fulvinotata, has been confirmed for 11 of these species. The guild is strikingly absent from the species-rich Cape floral region and now includes at least four non-native invasive species with long-tubed flowers that are pre-adapted for pollination by A. convolvuli. CONCLUSIONS This study highlights the value of a niche perspective on pollination, which provides a framework for making predictions about the ecological importance of keystone pollinators, and for understanding patterns of convergent evolution and the role of floral traits in plant colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D Johnson
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa and
| | - Robert A Raguso
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Long corollas as nectar barriers in Lonicera implexa: interactions between corolla tube length and nectar volume. Evol Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-014-9736-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Turchetto C, Lima JS, Rodrigues DM, Bonatto SL, Freitas LB. Pollen dispersal and breeding structure in a hawkmoth-pollinated Pampa grasslands species Petunia axillaris (Solanaceae). ANNALS OF BOTANY 2015; 115:939-48. [PMID: 25808656 PMCID: PMC4407064 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcv025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 02/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The evolution of selfing is one of the most common transitions in flowering plants, and this change in mating pattern has important systematic and ecological consequences because it often initiates reproductive isolation and speciation. Petunia axillaris (Solanaceae) includes three allopatric subspecies widely distributed in temperate South America that present different degrees of self-compatibity and incompatibility. One of these subspecies is co-distributed with P. exserta in a restricted area and presents a complex, not well-understood mating system. Artificial crossing experiments suggest a complex system of mating in this sympatric area. The main aims of this study were to estimate the pollen dispersal distance and to evaluate the breeding structure of P. axillaris subsp. axillaris, a hawkmoth-pollinated taxon from this sympatric zone. METHODS Pollen dispersal distance was compared with nearest-neighbours distance, and the differentiation in the pollen pool among mother plants was estimated. In addition, the correlation between genetic differentiation and spatial distance among plants was tested. All adult individuals (252) within a space of 2800 m(2) and 15 open-pollinated progeny (285 seedlings) were analysed. Genetic analyses were based on 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci. KEY RESULTS A high proportion of self-pollination was found, indicating a mixed-mating system. The maximum pollen dispersal distance was 1013 m, but most pollination events (96 %) occurred at a distance of 0 m, predominantly in an inbreeding system. Both parents among sampled individuals could be identifed in 60-85 % of the progeny. CONCLUSIONS The results show that most pollen dispersal in the hawkmoth-pollinated P. axillaris subsp. axillaris occurs within populations and there is a high proportion of inbreeding. This mating system appears to favour species integrity in a secondary contact zone with the congener species P. exserta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Turchetto
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15053, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Laboratory of Genetic Diversity, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PO Box 131, 74001-970 Goiania, GO, Brazil and Laboratory of Genomic and Molecular Biology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga 6681, 90610-001 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline S Lima
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15053, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Laboratory of Genetic Diversity, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PO Box 131, 74001-970 Goiania, GO, Brazil and Laboratory of Genomic and Molecular Biology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga 6681, 90610-001 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Daniele M Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15053, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Laboratory of Genetic Diversity, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PO Box 131, 74001-970 Goiania, GO, Brazil and Laboratory of Genomic and Molecular Biology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga 6681, 90610-001 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Sandro L Bonatto
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15053, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Laboratory of Genetic Diversity, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PO Box 131, 74001-970 Goiania, GO, Brazil and Laboratory of Genomic and Molecular Biology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga 6681, 90610-001 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Loreta B Freitas
- Laboratory of Molecular Evolution, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, PO Box 15053, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Laboratory of Genetic Diversity, Universidade Federal de Goiás, PO Box 131, 74001-970 Goiania, GO, Brazil and Laboratory of Genomic and Molecular Biology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Ipiranga 6681, 90610-001 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Affiliation(s)
- Dino J. Martins
- Turkana Basin Institute, Stony Brook University N507 Social & Behavioural Sciences, Stony Brook NY 11794, USA Insect Committee of Nature Kenya National Museums of Kenya, Museum Hill, Nairobi P O Box 44486, Nairobi GPO 00100 Kenya
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Low abundance of long-tongued pollinators leads to pollen limitation in four specialized hawkmoth-pollinated plants in the Atlantic Rain forest, Brazil. Naturwissenschaften 2014; 101:893-905. [PMID: 25204723 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-014-1230-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2014] [Revised: 08/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Long-tubed hawkmoth-pollinated species present some of the most remarkable examples of floral specialization depending exclusively on long-tongued hawkmoths for sexual reproduction. Nonetheless, long-tongued hawkmoths do not rely exclusively on specialized plants as nectar sources, which may limit sexual reproduction through pollen limitation. However, very few studies have quantified the level of pollen limitation in plants with highly specialized floral traits in tropical regions. In this context, we studied four sympatric hawkmoth-pollinated species in a highland Atlantic Rain forest and assessed pollen limitation and their dependence on pollinators by analyzing the floral biology, breeding system, pollination mechanisms, and abundance of long-tongued pollinators. We showed that the four species are self-compatible, but are completely dependent on long-tongued hawkmoths to set fruits, and that flower visitation was infrequent in all plant species. Pollen limitation indices ranged from 0.53 to 0.96 showing that fruit set is highly limited by pollen receipt. Long-tongued moths are much less abundant and comprise only one sixth of the hawkmoth fauna. Pollen analyses of 578 sampled moths revealed that hawkmoths visited ca. 80 plant species in the community, but only two of the four species studied. Visited plants included a long-tubed hawkmoth-pollinated species endemic to the lowland forest ca. 15-20 km away from the study site. Specialization index (H 2 ' = 0.20) showed that community-level interactions between hawkmoths and plants are generalized. We suggest that sexual reproduction of these highly specialized hawkmoth-pollinated species is impaired by competition among plants for pollinators, in conjunction with the low abundance and diversity of long-tongued pollinators.
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Burns KC. Are there general patterns in plant defence against megaherbivores? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. C. Burns
- School of Biological Sciences; Victoria University of Wellington; PO Box 600 Wellington 6140 New Zealand
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