Vertebrate florivory of vascular epiphytes: the case of a bromeliad

Effects of Florivory on Floral Visitors and Reproductive Success of Sagittaria lancifolia (Alismataceae) in a Mexican Wetland

Florivores consume floral structures with negative effects on plant fitness and pollinator attraction. Several studies have evaluated these consequences in hermaphroditic plants, but little is known about the effects on monoecious and dioecious species. We characterize the florivory and its effects on floral visitors and reproductive success in a monoecious population of Sagittaria lancifolia. Five categories of florivory were established according to the petal area consumed. Visits were recorded in male and female flowers within the different damage categories. Reproductive success was evaluated through fruit number and weight, as well as the number of seeds per fruit. Our results show that the weevil Tanysphyrus lemnae is the main florivore, and it mainly damages the female flowers. Hymenoptera were recorded as the most frequent visitors of both male and female flowers. Male and female flowers showed differences in visit frequency, which decreases as flower damage increases. Reproductive success was negatively related to the level of damage. We found that florivory is common in the population of S. lancifolia, which can exert a strong selective pressure by making the flowers less attractive and reducing the number of seeds per fruit. Future studies are needed to know how florivores affect plant male fitness.

VASCULAR EPIPHYTES: THE UGLY DUCKLING OF PHENOLOGICAL STUDIES

The phenology of vascular epiphytes, which represent account for about 10 % of the world’s flowering plants and perform important ecological functions, has been just partially explored. Since phenology is a key tool for the management and conservation of species, the objective of this review was to synthesize the information published so far about the phenology of vascular epiphytes, detect gaps of knowledge, and suggest future lines of investigation to understand the underlying mechanisms. We conducted an online search for articles in Google Scholar and in the ISI Web of Science database from 1800 to 2020, with different combinations of keywords. 107 studies addressing the phenology of different holo-epiphyte species were found; 88 % of the studies were performed in the Neotropic, especially in tropical and subtropical wet forests. The phenology of only ca.2% (418 spp.) of all reported epiphyte species has been explored. There is a bias toward the study of the flowering and fruiting phenology in members of the Orchidaceae (192 spp.) and Bromeliaceae (124 spp.) families. In general, the vegetative and reproductive phenology of epiphytes tends to be seasonal; however, there is a huge gap in our understanding of the proximate and ultimate factors involved. Future research should explicitly focus on studying those factors.

Consumo de inflorescencia de maguey Agave sp. (Aspargales: Aspargaceae) por la ardilla de Peters Parasciurus oculatus (Rodentia: Sciuridae) en la Reserva de la Biosfera Sierra Gorda de Guanajuato, México

Aproximadamente el 87,5 % de las especies de plantas con flores son polinizadas por animales, sin embargo, la magnitud del impacto en la polinización de plantas por parte de los roedores, grupo al que pertenecen las ardillas, ha sido subestimada por la falta de información. Documentamos por primera ocasión consumo de las inflorescencias, néctar o polen de maguey (Agave sp.) por la ardilla de Peters (Parasciurus oculatus). Es necesario continuar el monitoreo de los polinizadores de los magueyes, para determinar el papel que juegan las ardillas en los procesos de polinización o depredación de estas plantas.