1
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Gavini SS, Quintero C. Predation risk and floral rewards: How pollinators balance these conflicts and the consequences on plant fitness. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 6:100091. [PMID: 39193177 PMCID: PMC11345579 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2024.100091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Foraging behavior of pollinators is shaped by, among other factors, the conflict between maximizing resource intake and minimizing predation risk; yet, empirical studies quantifying variation in both forces are rare, compared to those investigating each separately. Here, we discuss the importance of simultaneously assessing bottom-up and top-down forces in the study of plant-pollinator interactions, and propose a conceptual and testable graphical hypothesis for pollinator foraging behavior and plant fitness outcomes as a function of varying floral rewards and predation risk. In low predation risk scenarios, no noticeable changes in pollinator foraging behavior are expected, with reward levels affecting only the activity threshold. However, as predation risk increases we propose that there is a decrease in foraging behavior, with a steeper decline as plants are more rewarding and profitable. Lastly, in high predation risk scenarios, we expect foraging to approach zero, regardless of floral rewards. Thus, we propose that pollinator foraging behavior follows an inverse S-shape curve, with more pronounced changes in foraging activity at intermediate levels of predation risk, especially in high reward systems. We present empirical evidence that is consistent with this hypothesis. In terms of the consequences for plant fitness, we propose that specialized plant-pollinator systems should be more vulnerable to increased predation risk, with a steeper and faster decline in plant fitness, compared with generalist systems, in which pollinator redundancy can delay or buffer the effect of predators. Moreover, whereas we expect that specialist systems follows a similar inverse S-shape curve, in generalist systems we propose three different scenarios as a function not only of reward level but also compatibility, mating-system, and the interplay between growth form and floral display. The incorporation of trade-offs in pollinator behavior balancing the conflicting demands between feeding and predation risk has a promising future as a key feature enabling the development of more complex foraging models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina S. Gavini
- INIBIOMA, CONICET-CRUB, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Carolina Quintero
- INIBIOMA, CONICET-CRUB, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Quintral 1250, San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
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2
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Rouabah A, Rabolin-Meinrad C, Gay C, Therond O. Models of bee responses to land use and land cover changes in agricultural landscapes - a review and research agenda. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38940343 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Predictive modelling tools can be used to support the design of agricultural landscapes to promote pollinator biodiversity and pollination services. Despite the proliferation of such modelling tools in recent decades, there remains a gap in synthesising their main characteristics and representation capacities. Here, we reviewed 42 studies that developed non-correlative models to explore the impact of land use and land cover changes on bee populations, and synthesised information about the modelled systems, modelling approaches, and key model characteristics like spatiotemporal extent and resolution. Various modelling approaches are employed to predict the biodiversity of bees and the pollination services they provide, with a prevalence of models focusing on wild populations compared to managed ones. Of these models, landscape indicators and distance decay models are relatively simple, with few parameters. They allow mapping bee visitation probabilities using basic land cover data and considering bee foraging ranges. Conversely, mechanistic or agent-based models delineate, with varying degrees of complexity, a multitude of processes that characterise, among others, the foraging behaviour and population dynamics of bees. The reviewed models collectively encompass 38 ecological, agronomic, and economic processes, producing various outputs including bee abundance, habitat visitation rate, and crop yield. To advance the development of predictive modelling tools aimed at fostering pollinator biodiversity and pollination services in agricultural landscapes, we highlight future avenues for increasing biophysical realism in models predicting the impact of land use and land cover changes on bees. Additionally, we address the challenges associated with balancing model complexity and practical usability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelhak Rouabah
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, Colmar, 68000, France
| | | | - Camille Gay
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, 2 Avenue de la forêt de Haye, BP 20163, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy Cedex, 54500, France
| | - Olivier Therond
- Université de Lorraine, INRAE, LAE, 28 rue de Herrlisheim, Colmar, 68000, France
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3
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Peralta G, CaraDonna PJ, Rakosy D, Fründ J, Pascual Tudanca MP, Dormann CF, Burkle LA, Kaiser-Bunbury CN, Knight TM, Resasco J, Winfree R, Blüthgen N, Castillo WJ, Vázquez DP. Predicting plant-pollinator interactions: concepts, methods, and challenges. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:494-505. [PMID: 38262775 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Plant-pollinator interactions are ecologically and economically important, and, as a result, their prediction is a crucial theoretical and applied goal for ecologists. Although various analytical methods are available, we still have a limited ability to predict plant-pollinator interactions. The predictive ability of different plant-pollinator interaction models depends on the specific definitions used to conceptualize and quantify species attributes (e.g., morphological traits), sampling effects (e.g., detection probabilities), and data resolution and availability. Progress in the study of plant-pollinator interactions requires conceptual and methodological advances concerning the mechanisms and species attributes governing interactions as well as improved modeling approaches to predict interactions. Current methods to predict plant-pollinator interactions present ample opportunities for improvement and spark new horizons for basic and applied research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guadalupe Peralta
- Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology, National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET)-National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, X5016GCN, Argentina.
| | - Paul J CaraDonna
- Chicago Botanic Garden, Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA; Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
| | - Demetra Rakosy
- Department for Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig 04318, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Jochen Fründ
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79098, Germany; Animal Network Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg 20148, Germany
| | - María P Pascual Tudanca
- Argentine Institute for Dryland Research, National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET)-National University of Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, Argentina
| | - Carsten F Dormann
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79098, Germany
| | - Laura A Burkle
- Department of Ecology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | - Christopher N Kaiser-Bunbury
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Tiffany M Knight
- Department for Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig 04318, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany; Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale) 06108, Germany
| | - Julian Resasco
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Rachael Winfree
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Nico Blüthgen
- Ecological Networks Lab, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt 64287, Germany
| | - William J Castillo
- Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg 79098, Germany
| | - Diego P Vázquez
- Argentine Institute for Dryland Research, National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET)-National University of Cuyo, Mendoza 5500, Argentina; Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences, National University of Cuyo, Mendoza M5502, Argentina.
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4
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Magalhães DM, Lourenção AL, Bento JMS. Beneath the blooms: Unearthing the effect of rhizospheric bacteria on floral signals and pollinator preferences. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2024; 47:782-798. [PMID: 37994626 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14771] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between plants and pollinators is known to be influenced by ecological interactions with other community members. While most research has focused on aboveground communities affecting plant-pollinator interactions, it is increasingly recognized that soil-dwelling organisms can directly or indirectly impact these interactions. Although studies have examined the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on floral traits, there is a gap in research regarding similar effects associated with plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), particularly concerning floral scent. Our study aimed to investigate the influence of the PGPR Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on the floral traits of wild (Solanum habrochaites, Solanum pimpinellifolium and Solanum peruvianum) and cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), as well as the impact of microbially-driven changes in floral scent on the foraging behaviour of the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata. Our findings revealed that inoculating tomatoes with PGPR led to an increased number of flowers and enhanced overall floral volatile emission. Additionally, we observed higher flower biomass and pollen levels in all species, except S. peruvianum. Importantly, these changes in volatile emissions influenced the foraging behaviour of M. quadrifasciata significantly. Our results highlight the impact of beneficial soil microbes on plant-pollinator interactions, shedding light on the multiple effects that plant-microbial interactions can have on aboveground organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego M Magalhães
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André L Lourenção
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - José Maurício S Bento
- Department of Entomology and Acarology, "Luiz de Queiroz" College of Agriculture, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil
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5
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Munawar A, Xu Y, Abou El-Ela AS, Zhang Y, Zhong J, Mao Z, Chen X, Guo H, Zhang C, Sun Y, Zhu Z, Baldwin IT, Zhou W. Tissue-specific regulation of volatile emissions moves predators from flowers to attacked leaves. Curr Biol 2023:S0960-9822(23)00556-0. [PMID: 37224808 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plant-predator mutualisms have been widely described in nature.1,2 How plants fine-tune their mutualistic interactions with the predators they recruit remains poorly understood. In the wild potato (Solanum kurtzianum), predatory mites, Neoseiulus californicus, are recruited to flowers of undamaged plants but rapidly move downward when the herbivorous mites, Tetranychus urticae, damage leaves. This "up-down" movement within the plant corresponds to the shift of N. californicus from palynivory to carnivory, as they change from feeding on pollen to herbivores when moving between different plant organs. This up-down movement of N. californicus is mediated by the organ-specific emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in flowers and herbivory-elicited leaves. Experiments with exogenous applications, biosynthetic inhibitors, and transient RNAi revealed that salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling in flowers and leaves mediates both the changes in VOC emissions and the up-down movement of N. californicus. This alternating communication between flowers and leaves mediated by organ-specific VOC emissions was also found in a cultivated variety of potato, suggesting the agronomic potential of using flowers as reservoirs of natural enemies in the control of potato pests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asim Munawar
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yi Xu
- Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Amr S Abou El-Ela
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture (Saba Basha), Alexandria University, Alexandria 21531, Egypt
| | - Yadong Zhang
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jian Zhong
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhiyao Mao
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xuan Chen
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Han Guo
- Department of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yiqiao Sun
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 6, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zengrong Zhu
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ian T Baldwin
- Department of Molecular Ecology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Hans-Knöll-Str. 8, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Wenwu Zhou
- Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens, Institute of Insect Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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6
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Scott CE, McCann S. They mostly come at night: Predation on sleeping insects by introduced candy-striped spiders in North America. Ecology 2023; 104:e4025. [PMID: 36896652 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Catherine E Scott
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Sean McCann
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
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7
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Wu ZY, Milne RI, Liu J, Nathan R, Corlett RT, Li DZ. The establishment of plants following long-distance dispersal. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:289-300. [PMID: 36456382 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Long-distance dispersal (LDD) beyond the range of a species is an important driver of ecological and evolutionary patterns, but insufficient attention has been given to postdispersal establishment. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the post-LDD establishment phase in plant colonization, identify six key determinants of establishment success, develop a general quantitative framework for post-LDD establishment, and address the major challenges and opportunities in future research. These include improving detection and understanding of LDD using novel approaches, investigating mechanisms determining post-LDD establishment success using mechanistic modeling and inference, and comparison of establishment between past and present. By addressing current knowledge gaps, we aim to further our understanding of how LDD affects plant distributions, and the long-term consequences of LDD events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng-Yuan Wu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Richard I Milne
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JH, UK
| | - Jie Liu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China; Key Laboratory for Plant and Biodiversity of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Richard T Corlett
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan 650201, China.
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8
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Moeller HV, Nisbet RM, Stier AC. Cascading benefits of mutualists' predators on foundation species: A model inspired by coral reef ecosystems. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Holly V. Moeller
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Roger M. Nisbet
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California USA
| | - Adrian C. Stier
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California USA
- Marine Science Institute University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara California USA
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9
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Kawata S, Takimoto G. Pollinator predation stabilizes plant–pollinator mutualisms through the modification of pollinator behavior. Ecol Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shohei Kawata
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan
| | - Gaku Takimoto
- Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences The University of Tokyo Tokyo Japan
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10
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Huang L, Liu Y, Dou L, Pan S, Li Z, Zhang J, Li J. Mutualist- and antagonist-mediated selection contribute to trait diversification of flowers. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14107. [PMID: 36196403 PMCID: PMC9527018 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Flowers are generally short-lived, and they all face a multidimensional challenge because they have to attract mutualists, compel them to vector pollen with minimal investment in rewards, and repel floral enemies during this short time window. Their displays are under complex selection, either consistent or conflicting, to maximize reproductive fitness under heterogeneous environments. The phenological or morphological mismatches between flowers and visitors will influence interspecific competition, resource access, mating success and, ultimately, population and community dynamics. To better understand the effects of the plant visitors on floral traits, it is necessary to determine the functional significance of specific floral traits for the visitors; how plants respond to both mutualists and antagonists through adaptive changes; and to evaluate the net fitness effects of biological mutualisms and antagonism on plants. In this review, we bring together insights from fields as diverse as floral biology, insect behavioral responses, and evolutionary biology to explain the processes and patterns of floral diversity evolution. Then, we discuss the ecological significance of plant responses to mutualists and antagonists from a community perspective, and propose a set of research questions that can guide the research field to integrate studies of plant defense and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Huang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Liwen Dou
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Shaobin Pan
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | | | - Jin Zhang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Jia Li
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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11
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Gámez S, Harris NC. Conceptualizing the 3D niche and vertical space use. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:953-962. [PMID: 35872027 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Spatial partitioning in ecological communities has predominantly been described in two dimensions, yet habitat is complex and 3D. Complex space use mediates community structure and interaction strength by expanding spatial, temporal, and dietary dimensions. Vertical stratification of resources provides opportunities for novel specializations, creating a 3D niche. Competition and predation are mediated by 3D space use, as individuals use the vertical axis to access prey, flee predators, or avoid competitors. The 3D niche is important for long-term conservation strategies as species must navigate tradeoffs in habitat use between strata-specific threats and suboptimal habitat patches. Ultimately, elucidating the 3D niche has implications for protected area management and corridor design that directly influence species persistence and ecosystem function in a rapidly changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siria Gámez
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale University 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Nyeema C Harris
- Applied Wildlife Ecology Lab, Yale School of the Environment, Yale University 195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
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12
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Liang CT, Shiels AB, Haines WP, Sandor ME, Aslan CE. Invasive predators affect community-wide pollinator visitation. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2522. [PMID: 34918411 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Disruption of plant-pollinator interactions by invasive predators is poorly understood but may pose a critical threat for native ecosystems. In a multiyear field experiment in Hawai'i, we suppressed abundances of globally invasive predators and then observed insect visitation to flowers of six native plant species. Three plant species are federally endangered (Haplostachys haplostachya, Silene lanceolata, Tetramolopium arenarium) and three are common throughout their range (Bidens menziesii, Dubautia linearis, Sida fallax). Insect visitors were primarily generalist pollinators, including taxa that occur worldwide such as solitary bees (e.g., Lasioglossum impavidum), social bees (e.g., Apis mellifera), and syrphid flies (e.g., Allograpta exotica). We found that suppressing invasive rats (Rattus rattus), mice (Mus musculus), ants (Linepithema humile, Tapinoma melanocephalum), and yellowjacket wasps (Vespula pensylvanica) had positive effects on pollinator visitation to plants in 16 of 19 significant predator-pollinator-plant interactions. We found only positive effects of suppressing rats and ants, and both positive and negative effects of suppressing mice and yellowjacket wasps, on the frequency of interactions between pollinators and plants. Model results predicted that predator eradication could increase the frequency of insect visitation to flowering species, in some cases by more than 90%. Previous results from the system showed that these flowering species produced significantly more seed when flowers were allowed to outcross than when flowers were bagged to exclude pollinators, indicating limited autogamy. Our findings highlight the potential benefits of suppression or eradication of invasive rodents, ants, and yellowjackets to reverse pollination disruption, particularly in locations with high numbers of at-risk plant species or already imperiled pollinator populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina T Liang
- Pacific Southwest Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai'i, USA
- USDA Forest Service Tahoe National Forest Supervisors Office, Nevada City, California, USA
| | - Aaron B Shiels
- National Wildlife Research Center, USDA APHIS, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - William P Haines
- Center for Conservation Research and Training, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Manette E Sandor
- Landscape Conservation Initiative, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Clare E Aslan
- Landscape Conservation Initiative, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Conservation Science Partners, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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13
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Benoit AD, Caruso CM. A sit-and-wait predator, but not an active-pursuit predator, alters pollinator-mediated selection on floral traits. Ecology 2021; 102:e03506. [PMID: 34319595 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Indirect species interactions are ubiquitous in nature, often outnumbering direct species interactions. Yet despite evidence that indirect interactions have strong ecological effects, relatively little is known about whether they can shape adaptive evolution by altering the strength and/or direction of natural selection. We tested whether indirect interactions affect the strength and direction of pollinator-mediated selection on floral traits of the bumble-bee pollinated wildflower Lobelia siphilitica. We estimated the indirect effects of two pollinator predators with contrasting hunting modes: dragonflies (Aeshnidae and Corduliidae) and ambush bugs (Phymata americana, Reduviidae). Because dragonflies are active pursuit predators, we hypothesized that they would strengthen pollinator-mediated selection by weakening plant-pollinator interactions (i.e., a density-mediated indirect effect). In contrast, because ambush bugs are sit-and-wait predators, we hypothesized that they would weaken or reverse the direction of pollinator-mediated selection by altering pollinator foraging behavior (i.e., a trait-mediated indirect effect). Specifically, if ambush bugs hunt from plants with traits that attract pollinators (i.e., prey), then pollinators will spend less time visiting those plants, weakening or reversing the direction of selection on attractive floral traits. We did not find evidence that high dragonfly abundance strengthened selection on floral traits via a density-mediated indirect effect: neither pollen limitation (a proxy for the strength of plant-pollinator interactions) nor directional selection on floral traits of L. siphilitica differed significantly between high- and low-dragonfly abundance treatments. In contrast, we did find evidence that ambush bug presence affected selection on floral traits via a trait-mediated indirect effect: ambush bugs hunted from L. siphilitica plants with larger daily floral displays, reversing the direction of pollinator-mediated selection on daily display size. These results suggest that indirect species interactions have the potential to shape adaptive evolution by altering natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda D Benoit
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Christina M Caruso
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
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