AMONG-SPECIES VARIATION IN FLOWER SIZE DETERMINES FLORIVORY IN THE LARGEST SEASONALLY FLOODED TROPICAL WETLAND

PREMISES OF THE STUDY

Floral damage caused by florivores often has negative consequences for plant reproduction. However, the factors affecting plant-florivore interactions are still poorly understood, especially the role of abiotic factors and interspecific variation in florivory within ecosystems. Thus, it is largely required to investigate the patterns of florivory levels and its consequences for plant communities.

METHODS

We assessed the influence of abiotic factors related to climatic seasonality, of phylogenetic relationships among plants, and of functional attributes associated with attractiveness to pollinators on florivory levels (incidence and intensity) in the Pantanal, the world's largest tropical wetland. Between December 2020 and November 2021, the percentage of both flowers attacked (incidence) and area removed from petals (intensity) by florivores were examined in 51 species from 25 families, considering flowering season, the substrate where the plants occur, and floral attributes as potentially determining factors on florivory levels.

KEY RESULTS

Phylogeny and environmental factors did not have a significant influence on florivory. The only determinant of interspecific variation in florivory incidence and intensity was flower size, where larger flowers experienced higher florivory levels regardless of season and substrate, while flower arrangement and color were not significant factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study is one of the first to estimate the community-wide effects of biotic and abiotic factors on both the incidence and the intensity of florivory. The magnitude of this plant-florivore interaction may reduce reproductive success and entail selective pressures on plant attractiveness to pollinators. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.