Pollinator diversity stabilizes plant communities
Mixing pollinator functional groups increases plant community persistence via complementary pollination.
Source
Functional diversity of plant-pollinator interaction webs enhances the persistence of plant communities
Study at a glance
- Design
- Other — Experimental plant communities with manipulated syrphid and bumble-bee pollination guilds
- N
- N=36 · 36 plots of 4 m² with 30 adult plants each (open- vs tubular-flower communities)
- Population
- Experimental plant–pollinator communities (syrphids and bumble bees)
- Outcome
- Plant community persistence under complementary pollinator functional groups
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Pollinator diversity stabilizes plant communities
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Does pollinator functional diversity help plants persist?
Paris, France 2 UMR 7625: Fonctionnement et Évolution des Systèmes Écologiques, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, France 3 Department of Biology, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada Waser Nick Academic Editor ,].
Syrphids and bumble bees.
Animal-pollinated angiosperms represent up to 70% of plant species in numerous communities and ecosystems []. Mutualistic interactions between animals and plants form several intricate interaction webs [].
What they did
Manipulated syrphid and bumble bee pollination on open- versus tubular-flower plant communities.
What they found
Bumble bees pollinate both flower types; syrphids mainly open flowers; combined guilds boost persistence.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Lab/mesocosm communities are simpler than wild networks.
Key terms
- Functional diversity
- Variety of ecological roles.
- Syrphid
- Hoverfly pollinator guild.
- Bumble bee
- Bee guild handling tubular flowers.
- Tubular flowers
- Deep corolla plant group.
- Open flowers
- Easily accessed floral morphology.
- Persistence
- Continued community presence over seasons.
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Common questions
Pollinators?
Syrphids and bumble bees.
Plant groups?
Open vs tubular.
Result?
Diversity helps persistence.
Mechanism?
Complementarity.
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