Flies are important pollinators of mass-flowering caraway and respond to landscape and floral factors differently from honeybees

Abstract Context Pollinator declines and functional homogenization of farmland insect communities have been reported. Mass-flowering crops (MFC) can support pollinators by providing floral resources. Knowledge about how MFC with dissimilar flower morphology affect functional groups and functional trait compositions of wild bee communities is scarce. Objective We investigated how two morphologically different MFC, land cover and local flower cover of semi-natural habitats (SNH) and landscape diversity affect wild bees and their functional traits (body size, tongue length, sociality, foraging preferences). Methods We conducted landscape-level wild bee surveys in SNH of 30 paired study landscapes covering an oilseed rape (OSR) (Brassica napus L.) gradient. In 15 study landscapes faba beans (Vicia faba L.) were grown, paired with respective control landscapes without grain legumes. Results Faba bean cultivation promoted bumblebees (Bombus spp. Latreille), whereas non-Bombus densities were only driven by the local flower cover of SNH. High landscape diversity enhanced wild bee species richness. Faba bean cultivation enhanced the proportions of social wild bees, bees foraging on Fabaceae and slightly of long-tongued bumblebees. Solitary bee proportions increased with high covers of OSR. High local SNH flower covers mitigated changes of mean bee sizes caused by faba bean cultivation. Conclusions Our results show that MFC support specific functional bee groups adapted to their flower morphology and can alter pollinators` functional trait composition. We conclude that management practices need to target the cultivation of functionally diverse crops, combined with high local flower covers of diverse SNH to create heterogeneous landscapes, which sustain diverse pollinator communities.

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Mass-flowering red clover crops have positive effects on bumblebee richness and diversity after bloom

Basic and Applied Ecology ◽

10.1016/j.baae.2021.06.001 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Laura G.A. Riggi ◽

Ola Lundin ◽

Åsa Berggren

Keyword(s):

Red Clover ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Positive Effects

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Landscape structure affects the sunflower visiting frequency of insect pollinators

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-87650-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Károly Lajos ◽

Ferenc Samu ◽

Áron Domonkos Bihaly ◽

Dávid Fülöp ◽

Miklós Sárospataki

Keyword(s):

Landscape Structure ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Agricultural Landscape ◽

Edge Density ◽

Wild Bees ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Positive Effects ◽

Pollinator Community ◽

Foraging Ranges

AbstractMass-flowering crop monocultures, like sunflower, cannot harbour a permanent pollinator community. Their pollination is best secured if both managed honey bees and wild pollinators are present in the agricultural landscape. Semi-natural habitats are known to be the main foraging and nesting areas of wild pollinators, thus benefiting their populations, whereas crops flowering simultaneously may competitively dilute pollinator densities. In our study we asked how landscape structure affects major pollinator groups’ visiting frequency on 36 focal sunflower fields, hypothesising that herbaceous semi-natural (hSNH) and sunflower patches in the landscape neighbourhood will have a scale-dependent effect. We found that an increasing area and/or dispersion of hSNH areas enhanced the visitation of all pollinator groups. These positive effects were scale-dependent and corresponded well with the foraging ranges of the observed bee pollinators. In contrast, an increasing edge density of neighbouring sunflower fields resulted in considerably lower visiting frequencies of wild bees. Our results clearly indicate that the pollination of sunflower is dependent on the composition and configuration of the agricultural landscape. We conclude that an optimization of the pollination can be achieved if sufficient amount of hSNH areas with good dispersion are provided and mass flowering crops do not over-dominate the agricultural landscape.

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Low selfing in a mass-flowering, endangered perennial, Eryngium alpinum L. (Apiaceae)

American Journal of Botany ◽

10.3732/ajb.90.5.716 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 90 (5) ◽

pp. 716-723 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

M. Gaudeul ◽

I. Till-Bottraud

Keyword(s):

Mass Flowering

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Resource allocation to reproductive organs during masting in the tropical emergent tree, Dipterocarpus tempehes

Journal of Tropical Ecology ◽

10.1017/s0266467404002214 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 237-241 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Tomoaki Ichie ◽

Tanaka Kenta ◽

Michiko Nakagawa ◽

Kaori Sato ◽

Tohru Nakashizuka

Keyword(s):

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Reproductive Organs ◽

Nutrient Cycle ◽

South East Asia ◽

Tropical Rain Forests ◽

Rain Forests ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Animal Populations ◽

Dipterocarp Forests ◽

Interspecific Synchronization

Some tree species exhibit large year-to-year variation in seed production, a phenomenon known as masting (Kelly 1994, Kelly & Sork 2002). Even in tropical rain forests, in which the climate is suitable for plant growth all year round with little seasonal variation (Whitmore 1998), there are many reports of masting (Appanah 1993, Hart 1995, Newbery et al. 1998, Newstrom et al. 1994, Wheelwright 1986). In particular, Dipterocarpaceae, the dominant family in lowland mixed dipterocarp forests in South-East Asia, undergo mast fruiting following mass-flowering with strong interspecific synchronization in aseasonal western Malesia (Appanah 1985, 1993; Ashton 1989, Ashton et al. 1988, Curran et al. 1999, Janzen 1974, Medway 1972, Sakai et al. 1999, Whitmore 1998, Wood 1956). In mixed-dipterocarp forests, dipterocarp species contribute more than 70% of the canopy biomass (Bruenig 1996, Curran & Leighton 2000). Masting of dipterocarp species is therefore likely to have a major impact on animal populations, and also on the nutrient cycle in such forest ecosystems by causing fluctuations in the availability of resources (Sakai 2002).

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Pollen limitation and xenia effects in a cultivated mass-flowering tree, Macadamia integrifolia (Proteaceae)

Annals of Botany ◽

10.1093/aob/mcab112 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stephen J Trueman ◽

Wiebke Kämper ◽

Joel Nichols ◽

Steven M Ogbourne ◽

David Hawkes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Production ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Pollen Limitation ◽

Pollination Services ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Shell Mass ◽

Cross Pollination ◽

Macadamia Integrifolia ◽

Kernel Yield ◽

Flowering Tree

Abstract Background and Aims Pollen limitation is most prevalent among bee-pollinated plants, self-incompatible plants, and tropical plants. However, we have very little understanding of the extent to which pollen limitation affects fruit set in mass-flowering trees despite tree crops accounting for at least 600 million tons of the 9,200 million tons of annual global food production. Methods We determined the extent of pollen limitation in a bee-pollinated, partially self-incompatible, subtropical tree by hand cross-pollinating the majority of flowers on mass-flowering macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) trees that produce about 200,000–400,000 flowers. We measured tree yield and kernel quality and estimated final fruit set. We genotyped individual kernels by MassARRAY to determine levels of outcrossing in orchards and assess paternity effects on nut quality. Key Results Macadamia trees were pollen limited. Supplementary cross-pollination increased nut-in-shell yield, kernel yield and fruit set by as much as 97%, 109% and 92%, respectively. The extent of pollen limitation depended upon the proximity of experimental trees to trees of another cultivar because macadamia trees were highly outcrossing. Between 84% and 100% of fruit arose from cross-pollination, even at 200 m (25 rows) from orchard blocks of another cultivar. Large variations in nut-in-shell mass, kernel mass, kernel recovery and kernel oil concentration were related to differences in fruit paternity, including between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit, thus demonstrating pollen-parent effects on fruit quality, i.e. xenia. Conclusions This study is the first to demonstrate pollen limitation in a mass-flowering tree. Improved pollination led to increased kernel yield of 0.31–0.59 tons per hectare, which equates currently to higher farm-gate income of approximately US3,720–US7,080 per hectare. The heavy reliance of macadamia flowers on cross-pollination and the strong xenia effects on kernel mass demonstrate the high value that pollination services can provide to food production.

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Pollination of the Rain-Forest Tree Syzygium Tierneyanum (Myrtaceae) at Kuranda, Northern Queensland

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt9800223 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 28 (2) ◽

pp. 223 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

SD Hopper

Keyword(s):

Rain Forest ◽

Foraging Behaviour ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Forest Tree ◽

The Self ◽

Spatial Partitioning ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Foraging Modes ◽

Flowering Branch ◽

Floral Visitors

The identity, abundance and foraging behaviour of pollinators of the self-compatible, mass-flowering Syzygium tierneyanum were investigated. Forty-five species of nectarivorous animals were recorded. Diurnal visitors included seven bird; nine butterfly. four moth (including two hawkmoth), two bee, two ant, one wasp, three blowfly, one fruit fly, two beetle and one weevil species. while nocturnal visitors included one bat and 12 moth (including three hawkmoth) species. Floral dimensions were such that only the vertebrate and larger insect species regularly contacted anthers and stigmas while foraging. Of these groups the feral honey bee (Apis mellifera) was the most common flowet visitor. Honeyeaters and hawkmoths appeared to be the most important native pollinators; they were abundant in the study area and visited numerous flowers (50-250) in quick succession (1-3 s per flower) on each foraging bout. The only major differences in foraging times observed in the pollinator array were between diurnal, diurnal and crepuscular, and nocturnal floral visitors. Spatial partitioning of the nectar resource was limited to one instance of territoriality involving a Macleay's honeyeater (Meliphaga rnacleayana) on a densely flowering branch prior to peak blooming time, occasional aggressive chases by honeyeaters, and a division of foraging modes into rapid, erratic flights of 0.5– 4 m between flowers (hawkmoths) as against nearest-flower movements (all other groups). This lack of major spatial partitioning may have been due to the mass flowering of S. tierneyanum and the resultant superabundance of nectar. The vast majority (c. 99.95%) of interflower movements observed in foraging bouts of birds (and of hawkmoths) were within the same plant. This suggests that most seeds of S. tierneyanum may be derived from self-pollination.

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Results of studying the influence of the treatment with the chemical mutagens on the Сallistephus chinensis (L.) Nees plants

Horticulture: Interdepartment Subdject Scientific Collection ◽

10.35205/0558-1125-2021-76-202-212 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 202-212

Author(s):

L.O. Shevel ◽

◽

A.I. Trokhymchuk ◽

O.I. Rudnyk-Ivashchenko ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blue Flower ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Chemical Mutagens ◽

State Register ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Dark Violet ◽

Physiologically Active Substances ◽

Term Storage ◽

Active Substances

The authors present the influence of the treatment with the chemical mutagens on the Callistephus chinensis plants which was researched in 1998-2001. The samples originated by the studied cultivars open pollination were selected in the Experimental Farm “Novosilky” of the Institute of Horticulture of NAAS in 2002-2020. They are registered in the “data base” and included into the list of cvs of the collection of the seeds characteristics complex (Certificate of the registration of the collection of the plants genetic fund in Ukraine № 00230, November 1, 2016). The collection is registered in the National Centre of the Genetic Resources of the Plants of Ukraine and the seeds were transferred to the National Genetic Bank of the Plants of Ukraine for the long-term storage and for the use in the breeding work as new primary material. The plants of the five investigated varieties (Rubinovyie Zviozdy UT2300066), Oksana (UT2300046), Nizhnist (UT2300042), Yabluneva (UT2300081) and Prazdnichnaia (UT2300056) were treated with five physiologically active substances (DG-75, DG-72, DG-82, DG-468 and DG-608) in two concentrations during the mass flowering period. The results of the explorations showed the direct dependence of a bush diameter on its colouration. In the genotypes with the bright-red colour most of the families with diameter less than 30 cm were removed in all the generations. This also concerns the genotypes with the blue flower cluster colouration that were removed in the third generation. At the same time in the families with the wine-coloured flower clusters the plans with the bush diametr more than 30 cm prevail beginning from the second generation up the fifth one. According to the results of the researches all the studied genotypes can be combined into three groups concerning their response to the treatment by the mutagenes – sensitive (17.9 %), of the average sensitivity (62.5 %) and resistant (19.6 %). The striking exmples of the sensitive genotypes are the offsprings of the sample Rubinovyie Zviozdy which under the mutagens influence were characterized with the great variability as to several traits valuable for economy simultaneously. It is from this sample mother plant that the cultivars were selected as follows: Shokoladka (wine – coloured flower cluster), Oksamyt (dark-wine – coloured), and Sofia (dark-violet) which later on were entered into the State Register of the Plaint Cultivars Favourable for the Spread in Ukraine. In its turn, among those cvs the promise Callistephus chinensis (L.) Nees hybrid forms were selected, namely: C-125, C-116, C-233 and C-198-2 which have a complex of traits valuable for economy, including ornamentality (9.5-9.9 points), flower cluster diameter (10-14 cm) and Fusarium oxysporum resistance (8.8-9.0 points).

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Bioactive Compounds in Wild, In vitro Obtained, Ex vitro Adapted, and Acclimated Plants of Centaurea davidovii (Asteraceae)

Natural Product Communications ◽

10.1177/1934578x1501000609 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 1934578X1501000 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Antoaneta Trendafilova ◽

Milka Jadranin ◽

Rossen Gorgorov ◽

Marina Stanilova

Keyword(s):

Secondary Metabolites ◽

Wild Plants ◽

Total Phenolic ◽

Ms Medium ◽

Ex Vitro ◽

Field Plot ◽

Bioactive Substances ◽

Mass Flowering ◽

Rare And Endangered

In vitro cultures were initiated from a single seed of Centaurea davidovii. Whole plantlets were regenerated and cultivated for several months on agar-solidified nutrient media differing by their composition: basal MS medium, MS medium supplemented with plant growth regulators, and liquid MS medium. Plantlets were ex vitro adapted and successfully acclimated to open-air conditions; flowering was observed in some individuals in the first summer, and mass flowering during the second summer. The contents of the total flavonoids and the total phenolic compounds were determined spectrophotometrically in the leaves of the in vitro plantlets cultured on different media, and then compared with those in the leaves of the wild plants and in the leaves of the acclimated plants of the field plot. The sesquiterpene lactone 8α-(5′-hydroxyangeloyl)-salonitenolide was determined by HPLC in leaf samples of C. davidovii wild plants, in vitro obtained plantlets and ex vitro acclimated plants in the greenhouse and on the experimental field plot. The composition of the nutrient medium influenced the contents of all studied bioactive substances. The highest concentrations of all tested secondary metabolites were detected in the leaves of the acclimated plants during mass flowering, the content of the lactone reaching 56.2 mg/g DW, which was several times more than in the other leaf samples. The obtained results revealed both the effectiveness of biotechnological methods for propagation and conservation of rare and endangered plant species, and the possibility to use C. davidovii plants ex vitro acclimated to field conditions as a source of secondary metabolites with potential biological activity.

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