Flowering phenology and nesting resources influence pollinator community composition in a fragmented ecosystem

2014 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie C. Wray ◽  
Elizabeth Elle
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
Pollinator Community ◽  
Nesting Resources

scholarly journals Evaluating Native Bee Communities and Nutrition in Managed Grasslands

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 717-725
Author(s):  
D S Stein ◽  
D M Debinski ◽  
J M Pleasants ◽  
A L Toth
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Pollinator Community ◽  
Bee Communities ◽  
Bee Abundance

Abstract Native pollinators are important for providing vital services in agroecosystems; however, their numbers are declining globally. Bees are the most efficient and diverse members of the pollinator community; therefore, it is imperative that management strategies be implemented that positively affect bee community composition and health. Here, we test responses of the bee and flowering plant communities to land management treatments in the context of grasslands in the upper Midwestern United States, a critical area with respect to bee declines. Twelve sites were selected to examine floral resources and wild bee communities based on three different types of grasslands: tallgrass prairie remnants, ungrazed restorations, and grazed restorations. Total bee abundance was significantly higher in ungrazed restorations than remnants, but there were no significant differences among grasslands in community composition or Shannon diversity. Across the three grassland types we also examined mass and lipid stores as nutritional health indicators in three sweat bees (Halictidae), Augochlora pura, Agapostemon virescens, and Halictus ligatus. Although there were no differences in lipid content, total average bee mass was significantly higher in Ag. virescens collected from ungrazed restorations as compared to remnants. Floral abundance of native and non-native species combined was significantly higher in grazed restorations compared to remnants and ungrazed restorations. However, ungrazed restorations had higher abundance and richness of native flowering ramets. These data suggest that bee abundance and nutrition are driven by high abundance of native flowering plant species, rather than total flowering plants.

scholarly journals Ant guards influence the mating system of their plant hosts by altering pollinator behaviour

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nora Villamil ◽  
Karina Boege ◽  
Graham N. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Mating System ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Mating Systems ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Plant Fitness ◽  
Pollinator Behaviour ◽  
Visitation Frequency ◽  
Pollinator Community ◽  
Plant Mating Systems ◽  
Plant Mating

AbstractAnt guards can increase plant fitness by deterring herbivores but may also reduce it by interfering with pollination, hence ant-plant interactions are ideal systems in which to study costs and benefits of mutualisms. While ant impacts on herbivory are well-studied, much less is known about impacts on pollinators and associated consequences for plant mating systems and fitness. We used field experiments to quantify the effect of ant guards on pollinator community composition, frequency and duration of flower visits, and cascading effects on plant mating system and plant fitness in Turnera velutina (Passifloraceae). Although ant patrolling did not affect pollinator community composition or visitation frequency, it decreased pollinator foraging time and flower visit duration. Such behavioural changes resulted in reduced pollen deposition on stigmas, decreasing male fitness whilst increasing outcrossing rates. This study contributes to understanding how non-pollinators, such as these defensive mutualists, can shape plant mating systems.

Effects of plant community composition and flowering phenology on honeybee foraging in Mediterranean sylvo-pastoral systems

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 689-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simonetta Bagella ◽  
Alberto Satta ◽  
Ignazio Floris ◽  
Maria Carmela Caria ◽  
Ivo Rossetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
Plant Community Composition ◽  
Pastoral Systems

scholarly journals Effect of pollinator size on seed set in Lamium album var. barbatum

2021 ◽  
Vol 154 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-206
Author(s):  
Mitsuru Hattori ◽  
Yoko Tamada ◽  
Takao Itino
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Variation ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Seed Set ◽  
Flowering Period ◽  
Central Japan ◽  
Corolla Length ◽  
Flowering Season ◽  
Pollinator Community ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Lamium Album

Background and aims – Previous researchers have demonstrated that geographic variation in pollinator community composition can generate diversity in the floral traits of animal-pollinated plants. Our study focused on the bumblebee-pollinated white dead-nettle Lamium album var. barbatum. Geographic variation in corolla length of this species is known to be correlated with regional pollinator size. The aim of this study is to clarify whether size-matching between flower and pollinator affects seed set in L. album.Material and methods – In the present study, we investigated two L. album populations on Mount Norikura, central Japan. We determined the pollinator community composition and corolla length during the flowering period of L. album and recorded seed set after a single visit by different pollinator categories.Key results – We observed that the main pollinators of L. album were bumblebee queens and workers. Bumblebee queens visited flowers more frequently than workers during peak flowering. Furthermore, size-matching between flowers and bumblebee queens, but not workers, strongly promoted seed set. These results suggest that L. album flower size is adapted to bumblebee queens, the main pollinator during peak flowering season in our study sites.

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