scholarly journals Exploitative competition for floral resources reduces sugar intake but differently impacts the foraging behaviour of two non‐bee flower visitors

Oikos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Jeavons ◽  
Ondine Chevrie ◽  
Cécile Le Lann ◽  
David Renault ◽  
Maëva Floch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Exploitative Competition ◽  
Flower Visitors ◽  
Sugar Intake

scholarly journals Seasonal variation in exploitative competition between honeybees and bumblebees

Oecologia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 192 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica R. Wignall ◽  
Isabella Campbell Harry ◽  
Natasha L. Davies ◽  
Stephen D. Kenny ◽  
Jack K. McMinn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Standing Crop ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Competitive Exclusion ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Competitive Pressure ◽  
Exploitative Competition ◽  
Full Bloom ◽  
Nectar Standing Crop ◽  
Flower Choice

AbstractHoneybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus spp.) often undergo exploitative competition for shared floral resources, which can alter their foraging behaviour and flower choice, even causing competitive exclusion. This may be strongest in summer, when foraging conditions are most challenging for bees, compared to other times of the year. However, the seasonal dynamics of competition between these major pollinator groups are not well understood. Here, we investigate whether the strength of exploitative competition for nectar between honeybees and bumblebees varies seasonally, and whether competitive pressure is greatest in summer months. We carried out experimental bee exclusion trials from May to late September, using experimental patches of lavender, variety Grosso, in full bloom. In each trial, we compared the numbers of honeybees (HB) foraging on patches from which bumblebees had been manually excluded (bumblebee excluded, BBE) versus control (CON) patches, HB(BBE-CON). This measure of exploitative competition varied significantly with season. As expected, mean HB(BBE-CON) was significantly greater in summer trials than in spring or autumn trials. This was despite high nectar standing crop volumes in BBE patch flowers in spring and autumn trials. Mean HB(BBE-CON) was not different between spring and autumn trials. Our results show that nectar competition between honeybees and bumblebees varies seasonally and is stronger in summer than spring or autumn, adding to current understanding of the seasonality of resource demand and competition between bee species. This information may also help to inform conservation programs aiming to increase floral resources for bees by showing when these resources are most needed.

scholarly journals Mexican creeper, Antigonon leptopus Hook. and Arn : An effective bee forage plant to conserve honey bee

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-228
Author(s):  
P V Rami Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Species Diversity ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Apis Cerana ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Urban Habitats ◽  
Forage Plant

Decline in honey bee populations has become a matter of concern and their conservation is very essential to sustain essential ecosystem services. They provide making available continuous supply of floral resources is of immense value in conserving honey bees. The effectiveness of an ornamental creeper, Antigonon leptopus Hook. & Arn as a sustainable bee forage plant was evaluated. It attracts four major native species of honey bees viz., Apis cerana, A. florea, A. dorsata and Tetragonula iridipennis. The wild little bee, A. florea was the most dominant forager followed by the Indian bee, A. cerana. The plant is amenable for easy multiplication through seeds as well as cuttings and meets both aesthetic and ecological needs. Using Antigonon, different studies related to honey bees like assessing species diversity, foraging behaviour, temperature driven shifts etc. can be carried out. Popularising perennial bee flora like Antigonon would help in conserving honey bees in both natural and urban habitats. Since Antigonon attracts all species of honey bees throughout the year, it could be utilized as a potential bioindicator of honey bee populations in a given environment.

scholarly journals Floral resource availability of Dicliptera squarrosa (Acanthaceae) and its dependence on hummingbirds for fruit formation in a forest fragment of Central Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 152 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-77
Author(s):  
Raphael Matias ◽  
Marco Túlio Furtado ◽  
Silvia B. Rodrigues ◽  
Hélder Consolaro
Keyword(s):  
Mating Systems ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
Floral Biology ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Important Species ◽  
Flower Visitors ◽  
Central Brazil ◽  
Nectar Feeding ◽  
Floral Resource

Background and aims – Hummingbirds are dependent and specialized on nectar-feeding, and many plants depend upon them for pollination. However, the degree of plant-pollinator interdependence varies greatly among species; thus, information on plant mating systems and availability of resources may help to clarify the dependence of interacting organisms. The goals of this study were to (1) quantify the floral resource available during the flowering of Dicliptera squarrosa Nees for comparison with other co-flowering ornithophilous species, and to (2) determine the importance of floral visitors for the reproductive success of this plant.Methods – Data collection was performed in a forest fragment within the urban perimeter of Catalão, Goiás, from September 2012 to August 2013. We investigated the flowering phenology, floral biology, nectar characteristics, flower visitors and mating systems of D. squarrosa. Additionally, we evaluated the amount of floral resource offered (number of flowers and energy in joules) by co-flowering ornithophilous species within an area of 6000 m2 for comparison with D. squarrosa.Key results – Dicliptera squarrosa presents flowers adapted to pollination by hummingbirds, which act as the sole pollinator group for flowers of this species. Flowering occurs from June to September and is synchronous with five other co-flowering species. During the months between July and September, D. squarrosa is the main food source for hummingbirds in the area, offering more floral resources than all of the other five ornithophilous species together. Plants of this species are self-compatible, but they depend on hummingbirds to transfer pollen; levels of autonomous autogamy were low.Conclusions – We suggest that D. squarrosa is an important species for maintaining hummingbirds in the forest fragment due to its high production of nectar resources. In addition, data on floral biology, flower visitors, and mating systems showed the importance of hummingbirds for reproduction of D. squarrosa, suggesting a mutualistic interaction between plant and hummingbirds.

scholarly journals Exploitative competition and displacement mediated by eusocial bees: experimental evidence in a wild pollinator community

2020 ◽  
Vol 74 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica R. Wignall ◽  
Matthew Brolly ◽  
Cassandra Uthoff ◽  
Kala E. Norton ◽  
Hannah M. Chipperfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Availability ◽  
Resource Competition ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Resource Depletion ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Exploitative Competition ◽  
Ecological Release ◽  
Pollinator Community ◽  
Eusocial Bees ◽  
Floral Resource

Abstract Eusocial bees are likely to be ecologically important competitors for floral resources, although competitive effects can be difficult to quantify in wild pollinator communities. To investigate this, we excluded honeybees (HBE treatment), bumblebees (BBE) or both (HB&BBE) from wild-growing patches of bramble, Rubus fruticosus L. agg., flowers in two eight-day field trials at separate locations, with complementary mapping of per-site local floral resource availability. Exclusions increased per-flower volume of nectar and visitation rates of non-excluded bees, compared to control patches with no bee exclusions (CON). There was a large increase in average nectar standing crop volume both at Site 1 (+ 172%) and Site 2 (+ 137%) in HB&BBE patch flowers, and no significant change in HBE or BBE, compared to CON patches. Foraging bee responses to exclusion treatments were more pronounced at Site 2, which may be due to lower local floral resource availability, since this is likely to increase the degree of exploitative competition present. Notably, at Site 2, there was a 447% increase in larger-bodied solitary (non-Apis/Bombus) bees visiting HB&BBE patches, suggesting ecological release from competition. Hoverflies showed no response to bee removals. Numbers of other non-bee insect groups were very small and also showed no clear response to exclusions. Our findings reveal patterns of competitive exclusion between pollinator groups, mediated by resource depletion by eusocial bees. Possible long-term implications of displacement from preferred flowers, particularly where alternative forage is reduced, are discussed. Significance statement Understanding patterns of exploitative competition and displacement is necessary for pollinator conservation, particularly for vulnerable or threatened species. In this research, experimental methods reveal underlying patterns of resource competition exerted by eusocial bees in a wild pollinator community. We show that honeybees and bumblebees competitively displace each other and particularly solitary (non-Apis/Bombus) bees from bramble, an important native nectar and pollen source. Effects were stronger where local floral resource availability was identified to be limited. Notably, following experimental exclusion of both honey- and bumblebees from flowers, visitation by solitary bees increased by up to 447%, strongly suggesting ecological release from competition. These results highlight the need for informed landscape management for pollinator wellbeing, including appropriate honeybee stocking densities and improved floral resource availability.

Estimating Floral Resources and Flower Visitors in Studies of Pollinator-Plant Communities

Oikos ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 384 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. J. Tepedino ◽  
N. L. Stanton
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Flower Visitors

scholarly journals Honeybees optimize their foraging behaviour in relation to spatio-temporal changes in nectar and pollen availability

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan J. Kreider ◽  
Anna Nehrkorn ◽  
Svenja Bänsch ◽  
Carmen Kirsch ◽  
Catrin Westphal
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Mass Flowering ◽  
Temporal Shift ◽  
Lime Tree ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Floral Resource

AbstractIntensified agriculture increasingly threatens wild and managed bees by promoting landscape uniformity and reducing floral resource availability whereas urban areas can provide continuous floral resources within green spaces and private gardens. Mass-flowering events of crops and trees, such as lime trees (Tilia spp.), can provide ample floral resources but only for short time periods. Using waggle dance decoding, pollen analysis and bee abundance recordings, we investigated the temporal shift in honeybee foraging behaviour in response to lime tree mass-flowering. Honeybees in urban areas extended their foraging range during lime tree flowering. Foraging behaviour of honeybees in rural areas did not change to such an extent and honeybees foraged in sown flower strips. Our results suggest that honeybees optimize their foraging behaviour to exploit highly rewarding resources instead of extending foraging ranges in times of floral resource scarcity.

Pollination ecology of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) in the Western Ghats, India

2007 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 493-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Palatty Allesh Sinu ◽  
K. R. Shivanna
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Crop Species ◽  
Pollination Success ◽  
Mutualistic Relationship ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Flower Visiting ◽  
The Western Ghats

Heterogeneous agroforestry systems play an important role in maintaining animal pollinator diversity (Klein et al. 2003, Perfecto et al. 1996), most likely by extending floral resources in lean periods. An understanding of the mutualistic relationship between flower-visiting insects and crop species in such agroforestry systems (Kearns et al. 1998), particularly on the diversity of pollinator species, their spatio-temporal variations, foraging behaviour (Cunningham 2000, Greenleaf & Kremen 2006, Klein et al. 2003) and their pollination efficiency (Motten et al. 1981), is important as they are some of the crucial biological predictors of pollination success.

scholarly journals Foraging of Honeybees (Apis mellifera) on Flowers of Yellow Melon (Cucumis melo): Duration of Visits

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Márcia F. Ribeiro ◽  
Eva M. S. Silva ◽  
Lúcia H. P. Kiill ◽  
Katia M. M. Siqueira ◽  
Mara P. Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Cucumis Melo ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Crop Area

Studying the pollinators’ foraging behaviour is quite important for pollination. Time spent by the pollinator in floral handling is one of the aspects of this behaviour. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are the main responsible for the pollination of melon (Cucumis melo), but there are few studies on their foraging, mainly in the region of Petrolina, state of Pernambuco, and Juazeiro, state of Bahia, in Brazil. This study aimed to compare bee visitation to hermaphrodite (HF) and male (MF) flowers in a crop area where different number of hives were used. For each floral type, 10 flowers were observed, in each experiment (0, 1, 2 or 3 hives). The duration of bee visits (n = 10) was registered in three times of the day: 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 4 p.m. In general, HF received significantly longer visits than MF, in all experiments, except when using one hive. In fact, significant correlations were found between the duration of visits and number of hives for HF, but not for MF. This is probably related to the attractiveness of HF and to the availability of floral resources. The studies of duration of pollinator’ visits are relevant in agriculture and should be considered when evaluating the efficiency of pollination in melon.

scholarly journals Foraging Behaviour of Heterotrigona itama (Apidae: Meliponini) in Residential Areas

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzan Benedick ◽  
Jualang Azlan Gansau ◽  
Abdul Hamid Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Residential Areas ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Nesting Site ◽  
Microclimatic Conditions ◽  
Foraging Pattern ◽  
Foraging Time

This study aims to investigate the foraging behaviour of Heterotrigona itama in exploiting food resources at a residential area, and the viability of this species to adapt to urban microclimatic conditions. Heterotrigona itama prefers to forage at areas closer to their nesting site, where diverse food sources are found. The marked bees of H. itama prefer to forage on various resources available at a 500-metre radius from the house yard. The obtained results indicate that the active foraging pattern of H. itama is negatively correlated to the time phases of a day (p < 0.05). This phenomenon was contributed by the three peaks of foraging hours, which reached a peak in the early morning (6:30 to 8:00 a.m.), moderately peaked towards the evening (2:30 to 3:30 p.m.), and was greatest towards the afternoon (10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.). The ambient temperature and relative humidity were not the primary factors influencing the average number of foragers exiting from and returning to the hives (temperature, p > 0.05; and humidity, p > 0.05). There was a difference between the varieties of content resources collected by the bees (p < 0.05). The nectar or water sources was the highest material (51.39%) that was brought back to the hive by foragers, followed by resin (34.73%) and pollen (13.87%). There was a significant difference in foraging time phases by returning foragers for collecting resin (p < 0.05) and nectar or water (p < 0.02), but there was no significant difference in foraging time phases found for pollen (p > 0.05). We concluded from the results that H. itama is able to withstand urban microclimate conditions, and successfully incorporated pollen, nectar or water, and resin obtained from floral and non-floral resources into their diet.

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