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Souther SK, Sandor ME, Sample M, Gabrielson S, Aslan CE. Bee and butterfly records indicate diversity losses in western and southern North America, but extensive knowledge gaps remain. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0289742. [PMID: 38748698 PMCID: PMC11095745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Pollinator losses threaten ecosystems and food security, diminishing gene flow and reproductive output for ecological communities and impacting ecosystem services broadly. For four focal families of bees and butterflies, we constructed over 1400 ensemble species distribution models over two time periods for North America. Models indicated disproportionally increased richness in eastern North America over time, with decreases in richness over time in the western US and southern Mexico. To further pinpoint geographic areas of vulnerability, we mapped records of potential pollinator species of conservation concern and found high concentrations of detections in the Great Lakes region, US East Coast, and southern Canada. Finally, we estimated asymptotic diversity indices for genera known to include species that visit flowers and may carry pollen for ecoregions across two time periods. Patterns of generic diversity through time mirrored those of species-level analyses, again indicating a decline in pollinators in the western U.S. Increases in generic diversity were observed in cooler and wetter ecoregions. Overall, changes in pollinator diversity appear to reflect changes in climate, though other factors such as land use change may also explain regional shifts. While statistical methods were employed to account for unequal sampling effort across regions and time, improved monitoring efforts with rigorous sampling designs would provide a deeper understanding of pollinator communities and their responses to ongoing environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K. Souther
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
| | - Manette E. Sandor
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Center for Conservation and Biodiversity, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Martha Sample
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
| | - Sara Gabrielson
- Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
| | - Clare E. Aslan
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
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2
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Balduino HDK, Tunes P, Giordano E, Guarnieri M, Machado SR, Nepi M, Guimarães E. To each their own! Nectar plasticity within a flower mediates distinct ecological interactions. AoB Plants 2023; 15:plac067. [PMID: 36751365 PMCID: PMC9893873 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plac067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nuptial and extranuptial nectaries are involved in interactions with different animal functional groups. Nectar traits involved in pollination mutualisms are well known. However, we know little about those traits involved in other mutualisms, such as ant-plant interactions, especially when both types of nectaries are in the same plant organ, the flower. Here we investigated if when two types of nectaries are exploited by distinct functional groups of floral visitors, even being within the same plant organ, the nectar secreted presents distinct features that fit animal requirements. We compared nectar secretion dynamics, floral visitors and nectar chemical composition of both nuptial and extranuptial nectaries in natural populations of the liana Amphilophium mansoanum (Bignoniaceae). For that we characterized nectar sugar, amino acid and specialized metabolite composition by high-performance liquid chromatography. Nuptial nectaries were visited by three medium- and large-sized bee species and extranuptial nectaries were visited mainly by ants, but also by cockroaches, wasps and flies. Nuptial and extranuptial nectar differed regarding volume, concentration, milligrams of sugars per flower and secretion dynamics. Nuptial nectar was sucrose-dominated, with high amounts of γ-aminobutyric acid and β-aminobutyric acid and with theophylline-like alkaloid, which were all exclusive of nuptial nectar. Whereas extranuptial nectar was hexose-rich, had a richer and less variable amino acid chemical profile, with high amounts of serine and alanine amino acids and with higher amounts of the specialized metabolite tyramine. The nectar traits from nuptial and extranuptial nectaries differ in energy amount and nutritional value, as well as in neuroactive specialized metabolites. These differences seem to match floral visitors' requirements, since they exclusively consume one of the two nectar types and may be exerting selective pressures on the composition of the respective resources of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannelise de Kassia Balduino
- Graduate Course in Plant Biology, São Paulo State University, 18618-689 Botucatu, Brazil
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Plant-Animal Interactions, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, 18618-689 Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Priscila Tunes
- Laboratory of Ecology and Evolution of Plant-Animal Interactions, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, 18618-689 Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Emanuele Giordano
- Laboratory of Analytical Methods for Chemical Ecology - Plant Reproductive Biology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Massimo Guarnieri
- Laboratory of Analytical Methods for Chemical Ecology - Plant Reproductive Biology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Silvia Rodrigues Machado
- Laboratory of Plant Anatomy, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University, 18618-689 Botucatu, Brazil
| | - Massimo Nepi
- Laboratory of Analytical Methods for Chemical Ecology - Plant Reproductive Biology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC), 90133 Palermo, Italy
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Chitchak N, Stewart AB, Traiperm P. Functional Ecology of External Secretory Structures in Rivea ornata (Roxb.) Choisy (Convolvulaceae). Plants 2022; 11:plants11152068. [PMID: 35956546 PMCID: PMC9370475 DOI: 10.3390/plants11152068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Plants have evolved numerous secretory structures that fulfill diverse roles and shape their interactions with other organisms. Rivea ornata (Roxb.) Choisy (Convolvulaceae) is one species that possesses various external secretory organs hypothesized to be ecologically important. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate five secretory structures (nectary disc, petiolar nectaries, calycinal glands, staminal hairs, and foliar glands) using micromorphology, anatomy, histochemistry, and field observations of plant–animal interactions in order to assess the functional contributions of these structures. Results show that the nectary disc and petiolar nectaries are complex working units consisting of at least epidermis and ground tissue, while the other structures are glandular trichomes. Various groups of metabolites (lipids, phenolic compounds, polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, and alkaloids) were detected in all structures, while starch grains were only found in the nectary disc, petiolar nectaries, and their adjacent tissues. Integrating preliminary observation of animal visitors with micromorphological, anatomical, and histochemical results, two hypotheses are proposed: (I) nectary disc and staminal hairs are important for pollination as they potentially attract and reward floral visitors, and (II) petiolar nectaries, calycinal glands, and foliar glands contribute to plant defense. Specifically, petiolar nectaries and calycinal glands provide protection from herbivores via guard ants, while calycinal and foliar glands may use plant metabolites to help prevent tissue damage from dehydration and insolation.
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Klomberg Y, Tropek R, Mertens JEJ, Kobe IN, Hodeček J, Raška J, Fominka NT, Souto-Vilarós D, Janečková P, Janeček Š. Spatiotemporal variation in the role of floral traits in shaping tropical plant-pollinator interactions. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:839-850. [PMID: 35006639 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The pollination syndrome hypothesis predicts that plants pollinated by the same pollinator group bear convergent combinations of specific floral functional traits. Nevertheless, some studies have shown that these combinations predict pollinators with relatively low accuracy. This discrepancy may be caused by changes in the importance of specific floral traits for different pollinator groups and under different environmental conditions. To explore this, we studied pollination systems and floral traits along an elevational gradient on Mount Cameroon during wet and dry seasons. Using Random Forest (Machine Learning) models, allowing the ranking of traits by their relative importance, we demonstrated that some floral traits are more important than others for pollinators. However, the distribution and importance of traits vary under different environmental conditions. Our results imply the need to improve our trait-based understanding of plant-pollinator interactions to better inform the debate surrounding the pollination syndrome hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Klomberg
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Robert Tropek
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan E J Mertens
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Ishmeal N Kobe
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Jiří Hodeček
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia.,Swiss Human Institute of Forensic Taphonomy, University Centre of Legal Medicine Lausanne-Geneva, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jan Raška
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Nestoral T Fominka
- Department of Zoology and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | | | - Petra Janečková
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Štěpán Janeček
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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Li HY, Luo AC, Hao YJ, Dou FY, Kou RM, Orr MC, Zhu CD, Huang DY. Comparison of the pollination efficiency of Apis cerana with wild bees in oil-seed camellia fields. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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Kanabar M, Bauer S, Ezedum ZM, Dwyer IP, Moore WS, Rodriguez G, Mall A, Littleton AT, Yudell M, Kanabar J, Tucker WJ, Daniels ER, Iqbal M, Khan H, Mirza A, Yu JC, O'Neal M, Volkenborn N, Pochron ST. Roundup negatively impacts the behavior and nerve function of the Madagascar hissing cockroach (Gromphadorhina portentosa). Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021; 28:10.1007/s11356-021-13021-6. [PMID: 33635453 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13021-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup formulations. Glyphosate-based herbicides are used globally in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, and in urban settings. Glyphosate can persist for years in our soil, potentially impacting the soil-dwelling arthropods that are primary drivers of a suite of ecosystem services. Furthermore, although glyphosate is not generally classified as neurotoxic to insects, evidence suggests that it may cause nerve damage in other organisms. In a series of experiments, we used food to deliver environmentally realistic amounts of Roundup ready-to-use III, a common 2% glyphosate-based herbicide formulation that lists isopropylamine salt as its active ingredient, to Madagascar hissing cockroaches. We then assessed the impact of contamination on body mass, nerve health, and behavior. Contaminated food contained both 30.6 mg glyphosate and so-called inert ingredients. Food was refreshed weekly for 26-60 days, depending on the experiment. We found that consumption of contaminated food did not impact adult and juvenile survivorship or body weight. However, consumption of contaminated food decreased ventral nerve cord action-potential velocity by 32%, caused a 29% increase in respiration rate, and caused a 74.4% decrease in time spent on a motorized exercise wheel. Such changes in behavior may make cockroaches less capable of fulfilling their ecological service, such as pollinating or decomposing litter. Furthermore, their lack of coordination may make them more susceptible to predation, putting their population at risk. Given the decline of terrestrial insect abundance, understanding common risks to terrestrial insect populations has never been more critical. Results from our experiments add to the growing body of literature suggesting that this popular herbicide can act as a neurotoxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Kanabar
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Samuel Bauer
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Zimuzo M Ezedum
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Ian P Dwyer
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - William S Moore
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Gabriella Rodriguez
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Aditya Mall
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Anne T Littleton
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Michael Yudell
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | | | - Wade J Tucker
- Miller Place High School, Miller Place, NY, 11764, USA
| | - Emily R Daniels
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Mohima Iqbal
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Hira Khan
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Ashra Mirza
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Joshua C Yu
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Marvin O'Neal
- Department of Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Nils Volkenborn
- Marine Sciences Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA
| | - Sharon T Pochron
- Sustainability Studies Program, School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, 11794-3435, USA.
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Xiong W, Ollerton J, Liede-Schumann S, Zhao W, Jiang Q, Sun H, Liao W, You W. Specialized cockroach pollination in the rare and endangered plant Vincetoxicum hainanense in China. Am J Bot 2020; 107:1355-1365. [PMID: 33098337 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Species of Apocynaceae are pollinated by a diverse assemblage of animals. Here we report the first record of specialized cockroach pollination in the family, involving an endangered climbing vine species, Vincetoxicum hainanense in China. Experiments were designed to provide direct proof of cockroach pollination and compare the effectiveness of other flower visitors. METHODS We investigated the reproductive biology, pollination ecology, pollinaria removal, pollinia insertion, and fruit set following single visits by the most common insects. In addition, we reviewed reports of cockroaches as pollinators of other plants and analyzed the known pollination systems in Vincetoxicum in a phylogenetic context. RESULTS The small, pale green flowers of V. hainanense opened during the night. The flowers were not autogamous, but were self-compatible. Flower visitors included beetles, flies, ants and bush crickets, but the most effective pollinator was the cockroach Blattella bisignata, the only visitor that carried pollen between plants. Less frequent and effective pollinators are ants and Carabidae. Plants in this genus are predominantly pollinated by flies, moths and wasps. CONCLUSIONS Globally, only 11 plant species are known to be cockroach-pollinated. Because their range of floral features encompass similarities and differences, defining a "cockroach pollination syndrome" is difficult. One commonality is that flowers are often visited by insects other than cockroaches, such as beetles, that vary in their significance as pollinators. Cockroach pollination is undoubtedly more widespread than previously thought and requires further attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wujian Xiong
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Jeff Ollerton
- Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology, University of Northampton, Waterside Campus, Northampton, NN1 5PH, UK
| | | | - Wanyi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Qiancai Jiang
- Zhongshan State-owned Forest Resources Protected Center, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Hongmei Sun
- Zhongshan State-owned Forest Resources Protected Center, Zhongshan, 528400, China
| | - Wenbo Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Wenhui You
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
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