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222 results for “Nectar”
Supplementary data for: Hummingbird ingestion of low-concentration ethanol within artificial nectar
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Data for: Community science reveals high diversity of nectaring plants visited by painted lady butterflies (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in California sage scrub
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Data for: Secondary nectar robbing by Lycaenidae and Riodinidae: opportunistic but not infrequent
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Optimal Defense Theory in an ant‐plant mutualism: extrafloral nectar as an induced defense is maximized in the most valuable plant structures
<ol> <li class="Normal1">Optimal Defense Theory (ODT) predicts that to maximize the benefits of defense against herbivores while minimizing its costs, plants will <span><span>invest in defenses</span></span> to structures according to their value and to the likelihood that they will be attacked. Constitutive defenses are expected in structures of high value, whereas induced defenses are expected in structures of low value. Regarding the biotic defense mediated by extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) and based on ODT, we predicted that under control conditions EFNs on higher-value structures would produce more nectar than would EFNs on lower-value structures, attracting more ants; however, when damaged, EFNs on higher-value structures would not increase the production of extrafloral nectar (since constitutive defenses should be employed in this region), whereas EFNs on lower-value structures would so (since induced defenses should be employed in this region), at a level commensurate with the extent of damage. </li> <li class="Normal1">Here we test these predictions in a Brazilian ant-plant mutualism. <i>Qualea multiflora</i> (Vochysiaceae), a savanna tree, presents EFNs on both lower-value structures (leaves) and higher-value structures (inflorescences). We simulated herbivory by cutting 10% or 40% of the leaves, or 10% of the flowers, then monitoring extrafloral nectar production and ant attendance. </li> <li class="Normal1">Extrafloral nectar volume and calorie content, as well as ant abundance, were higher in EFNs of inflorescences compared to EFNs of leaves both before and after simulated herbivory, consistent with one of our predictions. However, EFNs on both leaves and inflorescences, not leaves only, were induced by simulated herbivory, a pattern opposite to our prediction. Plants subjected to higher levels of leaf damage (i.e., more damage to lower-value tissues) <span><span>produced more and higher-calorie extrafloral nectar, but showed similar ant abundance, partially consistent with our prediction</span></span>. </li> <li class="Normal1"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span>Our results show that extrafloral nectar production before and after simulated herbivory, as well as the ant recruitment, vary according to the plant structure on which EFNs are located. Our study is unique showing that ant recruitment via extrafloral nectar follows predictions from Optimal Defense Theory, and that the ant foraging patterns may be shaped by the level and region damaged in the plant.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></li> </ol>
Net benefits of a mutualism: influence of the quality of extrafloral nectar on the colony fitness of a mutualistic ant
<p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Aim</strong>: Extrafloral nectar, a carbohydrate-rich liquid, is the main plant-based resource offered in exchange for ant protection. The positive results of this protection provided by ants are widely studied and supported; however, studies showing the benefits that ants and their colonies have from the resources offered by plants such as extrafloral nectar are scarce. Here, we evaluated how extrafloral nectar and artificial food resources with different nutrient concentration benefit short- and long-term <i>Camponotus crassus</i> colony fitness (number and weight of individuals) and survival. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Methods</strong>: We conducted two sets of experiments: (1) in the field we attached artificial ant nests to plants with clogged and unclogged extrafloral nectaries; and (2) in the laboratory we offered artificial food resources with different carbohydrate-protein ratios to ant colonies. With these experiments we evaluated the number and weight of queens, adult workers, pupae, larvae, and eggs, as well as the survival probability of the colonies.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><strong>Results</strong>: In the first experiment, the short-term provision of extrafloral nectar resulted in a larger number and weight of individuals with access to this resource. In the second experiment, regardless of time, the supply of more concentrated carbohydrate and nitrogen food increased ant colony fitness and survival. Conclusion: We provided new evidence that extrafloral nectar significantly benefits ant colonies. Our results corroborate the assertion that these relationships are reciprocally beneficial. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p>
Data from: Nectar accessibility determines fitness, flower choice and abundance of hoverflies that provide natural pest control
1. In modern agricultural landscapes many organisms providing ecosystem services such as pollination and natural pest control are likely constrained by shortage of nectar and/or pollen required for adult nutrition. More and more flower-rich field margin strips and other habitats are created to eliminate these constraints. For most target organisms, however, it is not well known which (types of) flowers are effective in providing suitable pollen and nectar. 2. We studied the suitability of a wide range of flowers as a food source for zoophagous hoverflies (hoverflies with predatory larvae) at five different levels: nectar accessibility (based on flower morphology), realized adult fitness, flower choice (both based on cage experiments), flower visitation, and hoverfly abundance in mixed vegetation (both based on field observations). 3. Realized survival of Episyrphus balteatus is related to effective flower depth by a sigmoid function. The critical flower depth is 1.6 mm, which is less than the proboscis size of the hoverfly. For Asteraceae the critical floret depth is even less than 1.0 mm, which – in contrast to common knowledge – rules out most species within this family. 4. Both flower choice in the laboratory and flower visitation rates in the field are well correlated with nectar accessibility and realized adult survival. 5. In mixed floral vegetation the number of zoophagous hoverflies is highly correlated with the abundance of only those flowers that have accessible nectar for these hoverflies. 6. Synthesis and applications. This comparative study demonstrates that nectar (and not pollen) accessibility is the main driver determining flower resource suitability, flower choice and abundance of zoophagous hoverflies in arable field margins. The study identifies the limited range of plant species that can effectively support these beneficial insects. Preserving the right flowers in and around agricultural fields could enhance local populations and the pest control and pollination services they provide.
Data from: Consequences of a nectar yeast for pollinator preference and performance
Pollinators utilize floral resources that vary in colour, scent and reward quality. Variation in such traits, including nectar rewards, in addition to cues associated with their quality, can influence pollinator foraging decisions with consequences for pollinator reproductive success. Nectar is commonly subject to colonization by micro-organisms capable of affecting a suite of traits important for pollinator attraction and fitness; yet, links between microbial presence and changes in pollinator preference and performance remain few. Here, we evaluated the effects of a nectar-inhabiting micro-organism on pollinator foraging behaviour and reproduction using the common eastern bumblebee Bombus impatiens and the cosmopolitan nectar yeast Metschnikowia reukaufii. Using a combination of choice and no-choice behavioural and feeding assays, we manipulated the presence and viability of M. reukaufii in nectar and assessed bumblebee foraging and reproductive responses. Bombus impatiens workers responded positively to the presence of yeasts. Foragers trained to associate yeast presence with flower colour visited a significantly greater proportion of flowers inoculated with yeast when subject to a colour discrimination test. Moreover, foragers naïve to nectar yeasts incorporated more yeast-inoculated flowers into initial foraging bouts when presented with a novel floral array. In addition, bees spent significantly longer foraging on yeast-inoculated flowers compared to yeast-free flowers. However, when we manipulated yeast presence and viability in microcolonies of queenless workers, we found no effect of yeast on components of bumblebee reproduction, such as initiation of egg laying and number of eggs laid. This lack of an effect of yeast persisted even under conditions of pollen limitation. Taken together, these results suggest that nectar yeasts can enhance floral signalling and alter pollinator foraging behaviour at individual flowers, though they may not directly affect pollinator performance. Thus, nectar yeasts may play a significant role in mediating pollinator foraging behaviour, with consequences for plant fitness and evolution of floral traits.
Data from: Florivory and floral larceny by fly larvae decrease nectar availability and hummingbird foraging visits at Heliconia (Heliconiaceae) flowers
Insect larvae inhabit the corolla tubes of some Heliconia species (Heliconiaceae). In this study, we present the first evidence of the influence of these larvae on the pollination ecology of Heliconia plants. We provide experimental evidence that the flowers of Heliconia spathocircinata infested by flies have less nectar for pollinators and received fewer visits by hummingbird pollinators, in comparison with uninfested flowers.
Data from: Community-wide consequences of sexual dimorphism: evidence from nectar microbes in dioecious plants
Intra-specific trait variation is receiving renewed interest as a factor affecting the structure of multi-species communities within and across trophic levels. One pervasive form of intra-specific trait variation is sexual dimorphism in animals and plants, which might exert large effects particularly on the communities of host-associated organisms, but the extent of these effects is not well understood. We investigated whether host-associated microbial communities developed differently in the floral nectar of female and male individuals of the dioecious shrubs, Eurya emarginata and E. japonica. We found that nectar-colonizing microbes such as bacteria and fungi were more than twice as prevalent and, overall, more than ten times as abundant in male flowers as in female flowers. Microbial species composition also differed between flower sexes. To examine potential mechanisms behind these differences, we manipulated the frequency of flower visitation by animals and the order of arrival of microbial species to nectar. Animal visitation frequency affected microbial communities more greatly in male flowers, while arrival order affected them more in female flowers. These sex-specific effects appeared attributable to differences in how animals and microbes altered the chemical characteristics of nectar that limited microbial growth. Taken together, our results provide evidence that sexual dimorphism can have large effects on the structure of host-associated communities.
Data from: The complexity of background clutter affects nectar bat use of flower odor and shape cues
Given their small size and high metabolism, nectar bats need to be able to quickly locate flowers during foraging bouts. Chiropterophilous plants depend on these bats for their reproduction, thus they also benefit if their flowers can be easily located, and we would expect that floral traits such as odor and shape have evolved to maximize detection by bats. However, relatively little is known about the importance of different floral cues during foraging bouts. In the present study, we undertook a set of flight cage experiments with two species of nectar bats (Anoura caudifer and A. geoffroyi) and artificial flowers to compare the importance of shape and scent cues in locating flowers. In a training phase, a bat was presented an artificial flower with a given shape and scent, whose position was constantly shifted to prevent reliance on spatial memory. In the experimental phase, two flowers were presented, one with the training-flower scent and one with the training-flower shape. For each experimental repetition, we recorded which flower was located first, and then shifted flower positions. Additionally, experiments were repeated in a simple environment, without background clutter, or a complex environment, with a background of leaves and branches. Results demonstrate that bats visit either flower indiscriminately with simple backgrounds, with no significant difference in terms of whether they visit the training-flower odor or training-flower shape first. However, in a complex background olfaction was the most important cue; scented flowers were consistently located first. This suggests that for well-exposed flowers, without obstruction from clutter, vision and/or echolocation are sufficient in locating them. In more complex backgrounds, nectar bats depend more heavily on olfaction during foraging bouts.
Data from: Nectar resource limitation affects butterfly flight performance and metabolism differently in intensive and extensive agricultural landscapes
Flight is an essential biological ability of many insects, but is energetically costly. Environments under rapid human-induced change are characterized by habitat fragmentation and may impose constraints on the energy income budget of organisms. This may, in turn, affect locomotor performance and willingness to fly. We tested flight performance and metabolic rates in Meadow brown butterflies (Maniola jurtina) of two contrasted agricultural landscapes: intensively managed, nectar-poor (IL) versus extensively managed, nectar-rich landscapes (EL). Young female adults were submitted to four nectar treatments (i.e. nectar quality and quantity) in outdoor flight cages. IL-individuals had better flight capacities in a flight mill and had lower resting metabolic rates (RMR) than EL-individuals, except under the severest treatment. Under this treatment, RMR increased in IL-individuals, but decreased in EL-individuals; flight performance was maintained by IL-individuals, but dropped by a factor 2.5 in EL-individuals. IL-individuals had more canalized (i.e. less plastic) responses relative to the nectar treatments than EL-individuals. Our results show significant intraspecific variation in the locomotor and metabolic response of a butterfly to different energy income regimes relative to the landscape of origin. Ecophysiological studies help improving our mechanistic understanding of the eco-evolutionary impact of anthropogenic environments on rare and widespread species.
Data from: Phenology of farmland floral resources reveals seasonal gaps in nectar availability for bumblebees
Floral resources are known to be important in regulating wild pollinator populations and are therefore an important component of agri‐environment and restoration schemes which aim to support pollinators and their associated services. However, the phenology of floral resources is often overlooked in these schemes – a factor which may be limiting their success. Our study characterises and quantifies the phenology of nectar resources at the whole‐farm scale on replicate farms in Southwestern UK throughout the flowering season. We quantify the corresponding nectar demands of a subset of common wild pollinators (bumblebees) to compare nectar supply and pollinator demand throughout the year, thereby identifying periods of supply‐demand deficit. We record strong seasonal fluctuations in farmland nectar supplies, with two main peaks of nectar production (May and July) and a considerable 'June Gap' in‐between. March and August/September are also periods of low nectar availability. Comparing the phenology of nectar supply with the phenology of bumblebee nectar demand reveals 'hunger gaps' during March and much of August/September when supply is unlikely to meet demand. Permanent pasture and woodland produced the greatest share of farmland nectar because of their large area, however linear features such as hedgerows and field margins provided the greatest nectar per unit area. 50% of total nectar was supplied by just three species (Allium ursinum, Cirsium arvense and Trifolium repens), but some less productive species (e.g. Hedera helix and Taraxacum agg.) were important in ensuring phenological continuity of nectar supply. Synthesis and applications. By comparing the phenology of farmland nectar supply with the phenology of pollinator demand, we demonstrate that the timing of nectar supply may be as important as total nectar production in limiting farmland pollinator populations. Considering phenology in the design of agri‐environment or restoration schemes is therefore likely to improve their suitability for pollinators. Plant species which flower during periods of resource deficit (early spring and late summer) should be prioritised in schemes which aim to conserve or restore pollinator populations. Maintaining a range of semi‐natural habitats with complementary flowering phenologies (e.g. woodland, hedgerows and field‐margins) will ensure a more continuous supply of nectar on farmland, thereby supporting pollinators for their entire flight season.
Data from: Feeding the enemy: loss of nectar and nectaries to herbivores reduces tepal damage and increases pollinator attraction in Iris bulleyana
Floral nectar usually functions as a pollinator reward, yet it may also attract herbivores. However, the effects of herbivore consumption of nectar or nectaries on pollination have rarely been tested. We investigated Iris bulleyana, an alpine plant that has showy tepals and abundant nectar, in the Hengduan Mountains of SW China. In this region, flowers are visited mainly by pollen-collecting pollinators and nectarivorous herbivores. We tested the hypothesis that, in I. bulleyana, sacrificing nectar and nectaries to herbivores protects tepals and thus enhances pollinator attraction. We compared rates of pollination and herbivory on different floral tissues in plants with flowers protected from nectar and nectary consumption with rates in unprotected control plants. We found that nectar and nectaries suffered more herbivore damage than did tepals in natural conditions. However, the amount of tepal damage was significantly greater in the flowers with protected nectaries than in the controls; this resulted in significant differences in pollinator visitation rates. These results provide the first evidence that floral nectar and nectaries may be 'sacrificed' to herbivores, leading to reduced damage to other floral tissues that are more important for reproduction.
Data from: Do artificial nectar feeders affect bat–plant interactions in an Ecuadorian cloud forest?
Plant–pollinator interactions are critical to ecosystems. However, when artificial nectar feeders are available in an area, they could draw pollinators away from plants. We tested the effects of artificial nectar feeders in an Ecuadorian cloud forest on four aspects of bat–plant interactions: (1) bat relative abundance; (2) bat pollen loads; (3) flower visitation rates, and (4) breeding success of a bat-pollinated species (Burmeistera glabrata). We divided the study site into areas close to (~30 m) and far from (~500 m) three different feeder sites. At each distance, we captured nectar bats (Anoura caudifer, Anoura cultrata, and Lonchophylla robusta) to estimate their relative abundance and to collect pollen from fur and fecal samples. We also videotaped flowers to estimate bat visitation rates and recorded different breeding success variables of B. glabrata. We found that areas close to feeders have higher relative bat abundance by a factor of 40. In spite of this, the presence of feeders did not affect bat pollen loads, nor the flower visitation rates and breeding success of B. glabrata. Interestingly, there were differences in pollen loads between the three bat species, in that L. robusta individuals rarely carried pollen and were only captured near feeders.
Data from: Nectar robbing impacts pollinator behavior but not plant reproduction
Trait-mediated indirect effects (TMIEs) refer to interactions in which the effect of one species on another is mediated by the behavior of a third species. A mechanistic approach that identifies the direction and impact of TMIEs can shed light on why different net outcomes are observed in the same general phenomena across systems. Nectar robbing has variable net effects through TMIEs on animal-pollinated plants across systems, but the mechanistic steps underlying this range of outcomes are often unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed linkages between nectar robbing, pollinator behavior and plant reproductive success in the Andean tree, Oreocallis grandiflora. We found that robbing in this system led to lower nectar volumes, higher nectar sucrose concentration, and higher nectar viscosity, which together negatively impact nectar quality. This drop in nectar quality was associated with decreased visitation rates by hummingbirds, which might be expected to impact plant reproduction negatively by pollen limitation. However, it was also associated with increased diversity (Shannon's) and evenness in the pollinator community due to reduced visitation by a territorial hummingbird, which might be expected to impact reproduction positively via enhanced genetic diversity of pollen as non-territorial pollinators forage over greater areas. We measured seed set and mass to distinguish the relative intensity of these two possible outcomes, but found no detectable effect. We tentatively conclude that these two consequences of TMIEs may have balanced each other out to yield a neutral net effect of nectar robbing on plant reproduction, though other explanations are also possible. This study highlights ways in which ecologically important TMIEs may act in opposing directions to mask important ecological forces, and underscores the continued need for detailed study of the mechanisms through which TMIEs operate.
Carry-over effects of larval food stress on adult energetics and life history in a nectar-feeding butterfly
<p>Stressful juvenile developmental conditions can affect performance and fitness later in life. In holometabolous insects such as butterflies, development under stressful conditions may lead to smaller adult size, lower reproductive output and shorter lifespan. However, how larval developmental stress affects energy intake and expenditure in adult individuals is poorly understood.</p> <p>We subjected last-instar larvae of <i>Speyeria mormonia</i> Edwards (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) to periodic dietary restriction (DR) to examine the allocation of energy and nutrients among different life-history processes. We measured adult food intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR), metabolic flight capacity, lifespan, and reproductive output. Consistent with pressure to disperse from a poor environment while maintaining offspring number, we predicted that stressed individuals would have increased adult food intake and higher flight capacity.</p> <p>Adult body size was strongly reduced. Contrary to predictions, we found no compensatory adult feeding. Mass-adjusted flight metabolic rate was reduced, suggesting poor dispersal capacity. Larval DR did not affect adult lifespan, nor did the rate of metabolic senescence change. Larval DR did affect RMR, as stressed females had a steeper slope between RMR and body mass, which may reflect differences in physiological activity due to condition.</p> <p>Fecundity decreased less than predicted based on body mass. Instead of investing in flight capacity, females increased relative allocation to reproduction, which may partly buffer against poor environmental conditions.</p> <p>Understanding the interplay of energy acquisition and allocation to life history traits across the life cycle is vital for predicting responses to environmental change.</p>
Data from: Nectar robbing rather than pollinator availability constrains reproduction of a bee-flowered plant at high elevations
<p>The files contain data on the floral ecology of <em>Clinopodium alpinum</em> collected along an elevational gradient in the Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany in 2017. The data are presented in the work entitled "Nectar robbing rather than pollinator availability constrains reproduction of a bee-flowered plant at high elevations" by Patrick L. Kohl and Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter. Files include data on flower visitor observations (including raw data on the number of visits by individual specifmens), data on seed/ovule ratios (both open pollinated and bagged flowers), data on the incidence of nectar robbing by bumble bees (the frequency of corolla perforations) and of flower herbivory by Eulophidae, and data on basic flowering traits of <em>C. alpinum</em> (number of flowers per inflorescence, corolla tube length, display size).</p>
On following pages: 86. Thomas's Nectar Bat (Hsunycteris thomas); 87. Chestnut Long-tongued Bat (Lionycteris spurrell); 88. Brazilian Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla mordax); 89. Chocoan Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla chocoanal; 90. Goldman's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla concava); 91. Pacific Forest Long-tongued Bat (Lonchophylla fornicata); 92. Orces's Long-tongued Bat (Lonchophylla orcesi); 93. Western Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla hesperia); 94. Eastern Cordilleran Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla orienticollina); 95. Handley's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla handleyi); 96. Orange Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla robusta); 97. Dekeyser's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla dekeyseri), 98. Pale-bellied Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla inexpectata); 99. Bokermann's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla bokermanni); 100. Peracchi's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla peracchii); 101. Long-snouted Bat (Platalina genovensium); 102. Vieira's Long-tongued Bat (Xeronycteris vieirai). in Phyllostomidae
On following pages: 86. Thomas's Nectar Bat (Hsunycteris thomas); 87. Chestnut Long-tongued Bat (Lionycteris spurrell); 88. Brazilian Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla mordax); 89. Chocoan Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla chocoanal; 90. Goldman's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla concava); 91. Pacific Forest Long-tongued Bat (Lonchophylla fornicata); 92. Orces's Long-tongued Bat (Lonchophylla orcesi); 93. Western Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla hesperia); 94. Eastern Cordilleran Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla orienticollina); 95. Handley's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla handleyi); 96. Orange Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla robusta); 97. Dekeyser's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla dekeyseri), 98. Pale-bellied Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla inexpectata); 99. Bokermann's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla bokermanni); 100. Peracchi's Nectar Bat (Lonchophylla peracchii); 101. Long-snouted Bat (Platalina genovensium); 102. Vieira's Long-tongued Bat (Xeronycteris vieirai).
Continuous exchange of nectar nutrients in an Oriental hornet colony- Dataset
<p>Raw data of the experiments " Continuous exchange of nectar nutrients in an Oriental hornet colony".</p>
Figs. 47-53 Magnolia stellata. Figs. 47–49 SEM images. Figs. 50–53 Histological sections. Figs. 47–49 in Nectar production in the pollen flower of Anemone nemorosa in comparison with other Ranunculaceae and Magnolia (Magnoliaceae)
Figs. 47-53 Magnolia stellata. Figs. 47–49 SEM images. Figs. 50–53 Histological sections. Figs. 47–49 Surface of the carpels is covered with solidified nectar. Figs. 48–49 Stylar surface at higher magnification; arrow stoma for gas exchange. Fig. 50 Longitudinal section
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