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Hung KLJ, Fan SL, Strang CG, Park MG, Thomson JD. Pollen carryover, pollinator movement, and spatial context impact the delivery of pollination services in apple orchards. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2917. [PMID: 37661589 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2917] [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: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the relative contributions of different pollinator taxa to pollination services is a central task in both basic eco-evolutionary research and applied conservation and agriculture. To that end, many studies have quantified single-visit pollen deposition and visitation frequency, which together determine a pollinator species' rate of conspecific pollen delivery. However, for plant species that require or benefit from outcrossing, pollination service quality further depends upon the ratio of outcross to self-pollen deposited, which is determined by two additional pollinator traits: pollen carryover and movement patterns among genetically compatible plant individuals. Here, we compare the pollination capacities of managed honey bees, native bumble bees, and native mining bees in apple-a varietally self-incompatible commercial crop-when pollen carryover and pollinator movement patterns are considered. We constructed simulation models of outcross pollen deposition parameterized using empirically measured single-visit pollen deposition, visitation frequency, and probabilities of intertree movement exhibited by each pollinator type, as well as pollen carryover patterns simulated based on parameters reported in the literature. In these models, we also explicitly specified the spatial relationships among cross-compatible trees based on field-realistic orchard layout schemes. We found that estimated pollination service delivery was considerably reduced for all pollinator types when pollen carryover and pollinator movement patterns were considered, as compared to when only single-visit pollen deposition and visitation frequency were considered. We also found that the performance of different pollinator types varied greatly across simulated orchard layout schemes and pollen carryover scenarios, including one instance where bumble and mining bees reversed their relative rankings. In all simulations, native bumble and mining bees outperformed managed honey bees in terms of both outcross pollen delivery per unit time and per flower visited, with disparities being greatest under scenarios of low pollen carryover. We demonstrate the degree to which pollination studies may reach inaccurate conclusions regarding pollination service delivery when pollen carryover and pollinator movement patterns are ignored. Our finding of the strong context dependence of pollination efficiency, even within a single plant-pollinator taxon pair, cautions that future studies in both basic and applied pollination biology should explicitly consider the ecological context in which pollination interactions take place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keng-Lou James Hung
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Sophia L Fan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Caroline G Strang
- College of Natural Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Mia G Park
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - James D Thomson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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van der Niet T, Egan PA, Schlüter PM. Evolutionarily inspired solutions to the crop pollination crisis. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:435-445. [PMID: 36737302 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.12.010] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The global decline in insect diversity threatens pollination services, potentially impacting crop production and food security. Here, we argue that this looming pollination crisis is generally approached from an ecological standpoint, and that consideration of evolutionary principles offers a novel perspective. First, we outline that wild plant species have overcome 'pollination crises' throughout evolutionary history, and show how associated principles can be applied to crop pollination. We then highlight technological advances that can be used to adapt crop flowers for optimal pollination by local wild pollinators, especially by increasing generalization in pollination systems. Thus, synergies among fundamental evolutionary research, genetic engineering, and agro-ecological science provide a promising template for addressing a potential pollination crisis, complementing much-needed strategies focused on pollinator conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timotheüs van der Niet
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, P. Bag X01, 3209, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.
| | - Paul A Egan
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden
| | - Philipp M Schlüter
- Department of Plant Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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Sax DF, Schlaepfer MA, Olden JD. Valuing the contributions of non-native species to people and nature. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:1058-1066. [PMID: 36210286 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
While decision-making can benefit from considering positive and negative outcomes of change, over the past half-century, research on non-native species has focused predominately on their negative impacts. Here we provide a framework for considering the positive consequences of non-native species relative to relational, instrumental, and intrinsic values. We demonstrate that their beneficial outcomes are common and profoundly important for human well-being. Identified benefits include social cohesion, cultural identity, mental health, food and fuel production, regulation of clean waters, and attenuation of climate change. We argue that long-standing biases against non-native species within the literature have clouded the scientific process and hampered policy advances and sound public understanding. Future research should consider both costs and benefits of non-native species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov F Sax
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society & Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Martin A Schlaepfer
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julian D Olden
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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Local Actions to Tackle a Global Problem: A Multidimensional Assessment of the Pollination Crisis in Chile. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13110571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In the last decades, pollinators have drastically declined as a consequence of anthropogenic activities that have local and global impacts. The food industry has been expanding intensive agriculture crops, many of them dependent on animal pollination, but simultaneously reducing native pollinator habitats. Chile is a good example of this situation. Chile is becoming an agro-alimentary powerhouse in Latin America, where intensive agriculture expansion is performed at the expense of natural lands, posing a major threat to biodiversity. Here, we discussed the drivers responsible for the decline of pollinators (including habitat loss, pesticides, invasive species, and climate change) and its synergistic effects. This is particularly critical considering that Chile is a hotspot of endemic bee species locally adapted to specific habitats (e.g., Mediterranean-type ecosystems). However, there is a lack of data and monitoring programs that can provide evidence of their conservation status and contribution to crop yields. Based on our analysis, we identified information gaps to be filled and key threats to be addressed to reconcile crop production and biodiversity conservation. Addressing the local context is fundamental to undertake management and conservation actions with global impact.
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Invasion dynamics of the European bumblebee Bombus terrestris in the southern part of South America. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15306. [PMID: 34316010 PMCID: PMC8316498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94898-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species are one of the main biodiversity loss drivers. Some species can establish and thrive in novel habitats, impacting local communities, as is the case of managed pollinators. In this regard, an invasive species' expansion process over time is critical for its control and management. A good example is the European bumblebee Bombus terrestris, which has rapidly invaded the southern part of South America after being repeatedly introduced in Chile for crop pollination since 1997. We assessed the temporal dynamics of B. terrestris invasion in Argentina and Chile by compiling 562 occurrence points from 2000 to 2019. We used two estimators (minimum convex polygon and 95% fixed kernel) to estimate the increase of the invaded area over time. We found that the area invaded by B. terrestris in the southern part of South America presents a linear increase over time, which was consistent for both estimators. In this scenario, species traits, environmental characteristics, and introduction dynamics facilitate a rapid invasion process that will continue to expand, reaching other South American countries in the near future. As this bumblebee is a super-generalist, it probably will expand across South America, as climate niche modelling predicts, if no actions were taken.
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Monzón VH, Avendaño-Soto P, Araujo RO, Garrido R, Mesquita-Neto JN. Avocado crops as a floral resource for native bees of Chile. REVISTA CHILENA DE HISTORIA NATURAL 2020. [DOI: 10.1186/s40693-020-00092-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Chile is the second largest avocado producer in the world. However, there have been few studies on interactions between native bees and avocado pollination in a Chilean environment. The flowering period of avocado is very sensitive to temperature fluctuations and so environmental conditions, particularly cool temperatures, can have a strong influence on its floral behaviour. Thus, we aimed to determine whether temperature also influences bee visitation rates to avocado flowers or if this was due to the number of available flowers. Moreover, we proposed to verify the attractiveness of avocado flowers to native bees and compare flower handling time and type of floral resource collected between managed and native bees.
Methods
An avocado orchard of “Hass” cultivar located in the Mediterranean region of Chile was studied during the flowering season of 2016. The frequency of exotic and native bee species in flowers, floral phenology, and environmental temperature were analysed, and the foraging behaviours of exotic and native bee species in avocado flowers compared.
Results
Five Chilean native and two exotic species were recorded visiting avocado flowers at the studied orchard. The bees generally sought nectar rather than pollen. The European honeybee (Apis mellifera) was the most frequent flower visitor, followed by the native species Colletes cyanescens and Cadeguala occidentalis. There was a strong positive correlation between temperature and number of visits, but no significant correlation between number of open flowers and number of visits.
Conclusions
Native Chilean bees visited avocado flowers and some of them were frequent floral visitors. They generally sought for nectar rather than pollen and were as fast as honeybees handling avocado flowers. The environmental temperature plays a key role in the frequency of bees in avocado flowers. The warmer weather is related to the higher number of bees visits to avocado flowers.
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Baranzelli MC, Benitez-Vieyra S, Glinos E, Trenchi A, Córdoba S, Camina J, Ashworth L, Sérsic AN, Cocucci AA, Fornoni J. Daily fluctuations in pollination effectiveness explain higher efficiency of native over exotic bees in Lepechinia floribunda (Lamiaceae). ANNALS OF BOTANY 2020; 125:509-520. [PMID: 31745546 PMCID: PMC7061175 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite Stebbins' principle of the most efficient pollinator being proposed decades ago, the most important pollinators are still mainly identified using the frequency of visits to flowers. This shortcoming results in a gap between the characterization of the flower visitors of a plant species and a reliable estimation of the plant fitness consequences of the mutualistic interaction. The performance of a mutualistic visitor depends on its abundance, behaviour, effectiveness (pollen removal and deposition per unit time) and efficiency (seed set per unit time) conditioned by the temporal matching between pollinator activity and temporal patterns of maturation of the sexual functions of flowers. Although there have been recent attempts to provide a conceptual and methodological framework to characterize pollinators' performance, few have combined all key elements of visitors and plants to provide an accurate estimation of pollinators' performance under natural conditions. METHODS We complement information on the flower biology and mating system of the sub-shrub Lepechinia floribunda (Lamiaceae) to provide a daily quantitative estimation of performance (effectiveness and efficiency) of the more abundant pollinators, i.e. native bumble-bees (Bombus spp.) and leafcutter bees (Megachile sp.), and the exotic honey-bee (Apis mellifera). KEY RESULTS Unlike honey-bees or leafcutter bees, native bumble-bees matched the daily pattern of nectar production and stigma receptivity, and showed higher effectiveness and efficiency. Despite the overabundance of honey-bees, visits occurred mainly when stigmas were not receptive, thus reducing the honey-bees' overall performance. CONCLUSIONS Bumble-bees appear to be the most important pollinators and potential historical mediators of reproductive trait evolution in L. floribunda. Because the production of seeds by bumble-bees involved fewer pollen grains for plants and less investment in floral display than honey-bees, contemporary and expected changes in pollinator abundance may affect future L. floribunda floral evolution. If bumble-bees were to be further displaced by anthropogenic disturbance or by competition with honey-bees, their lower efficiency will select for a larger floral display increasing reproductive costs. This scenario may also impose selection to reduce dichogamy to match honey-bee foraging activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matias Cristian Baranzelli
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Santiago Benitez-Vieyra
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Evangelina Glinos
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alejandra Trenchi
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Silvina Córdoba
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Julia Camina
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Lorena Ashworth
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Alicia Noemi Sérsic
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Andrea Aristides Cocucci
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Juan Fornoni
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CONICET, FCEFyN, Córdoba, Argentina
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Medel R, González-Browne C, Salazar D, Ferrer P, Ehrenfeld M. The most effective pollinator principle applies to new invasive pollinators. Biol Lett 2019; 14:rsbl.2018.0132. [PMID: 29899130 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
G. L. Stebbins' most effective pollinator principle states that when pollinators are not limiting, plants are expected to specialize and adapt to the most abundant and effective pollinator species available. In this study, we quantify the effectiveness of bees, hummingbirds and hawkmoths in a Chilean population of Erythranthe lutea (Phrymaceae), and examine whether flower traits are subject to pollinator-mediated selection by the most effective pollinator species during two consecutive years. Unlike most species in the pollinator community, the visitation rate of the recently arrived Bombus terrestris did not change substantially between years, which together with its high and stable pollen delivery to flower stigmas made this species the most important in the pollinator assemblage, followed by the solitary bee Centris nigerrima Flower traits were under significant selection in the direction expected for short-tongue bees, suggesting that E. lutea is in the initial steps of adaptation to the highly effective exotic bumblebee. Our results illustrate the applicability of Stebbins' principle for new invasive pollinators, and stress their importance in driving flower adaptation of native plant species, a critical issue in the face of biotic exchange and homogenization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Medel
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Catalina González-Browne
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Salazar
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pedro Ferrer
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mildred Ehrenfeld
- Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Santiago, Chile
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Is there spatial variation in phenotypic selection on floral traits in a generalist plant–pollinator system? Evol Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-019-10002-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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