Article
Plant Sciences
Lucy Nevard, Mario Vallejo-Marin
Summary: Floral orientation plays a role in plant-pollinator interactions, especially in buzz-pollinated species. The effect of floral orientation on pollen transfer has been tested in this study.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Francisco E. Fonturbel, Isidora B. Sepulveda, Giselle Muschett, Gaston O. Carvallo, Lorena Vieli, Maureen M. Murua
Summary: Invasive species are a significant driver of worldwide biodiversity loss. This study examines the associations between bumblebees and native and exotic plant species in Chile, particularly focusing on flower color preferences. The findings suggest that exotic bumblebee species primarily visit flowers of exotic plants and show preferences for purple and pink flowers, while native bumblebees visit both native and exotic plant species in similar proportions and have preferences for white, pink, and purple flowers.
Article
Ecology
Anina C. Knauer, Hanna Kokko, Florian P. Schiestl
Summary: The study investigates honest signaling in a plant species by analyzing how two honest floral signals attract pollinators and influence nectar volume. The results of experiments were incorporated into a mathematical model and verified, showing how honest floral signaling can evolve as a stable strategy in a plant species.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Shivani Krishna, Tamar Keasar
Summary: The research indicates that successful foraging on complex flowers, especially those with high rewards, can motivate insect pollinators to attempt accessing other plant species with different complex shapes.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Raphael A. Stern, Ada Rozen, Ravit Eshed, Tali Zviran, Isaac Sisai, Amir Sherman, Vered Irihimovitch, Gal Sapir
Summary: Adding bumblebee hives to 'Hass' avocado orchards can increase pollination and yield, with studies showing a positive correlation between bumblebee presence and avocado production.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Franklin Rocha, Daniel Peraza, Salvador Medina, Jose Javier G. Quezada-Euan
Summary: This study assessed the contributions of Africanized honey bees (AHB) and native sonicating bees (NBZ) to the pollination of eggplant and annatto in Mexico. The results showed that AHB were the main flower visitors for both crops, and although their individual performance was low, their numerical predominance compensated for it.
Article
Plant Sciences
Luan Salles Passos, Francismeire Jane Telles, Renato Goldenberg, Erika Amano, Fabiano Rodrigo Maia
Summary: In our study, we found that the stamen appendages of Huberia insignis have no effect on pollination, suggesting that these appendages are vestigial.
Article
Horticulture
Qi Sun, Xingnan Zhao, Lei Wu, Jimin Zhao, Yunfei Yang, Yanwen Zhang
Summary: Different pollinators exhibit varying adaptability to plants, with Bombus terrestris showing significantly higher efficiency in pollination of northern highbush blueberry plants, resulting in increased yield and fruit quality compared to Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The unique buzz-pollination behavior of B. terrestris contributes to its high effectiveness in pollination, making it a preferential pollinator choice for 'Bluecrop' blueberry in greenhouse settings.
Article
Entomology
Michael C. Orr, Zong-Xin Ren, Jin Ge, Li Tian, Jiandong An, Jiaxing Huang, Chao-Dong Zhu, Paul H. Williams
Summary: The unregulated commercial management and sale of non-native Bombus terrestris in China has led to introductions into the wild in Beijing and Kunming. National and international regulations are needed to address this issue, and efforts should be made to domesticate native species instead.
ENTOMOLOGIA GENERALIS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Cristina Martinez-Andujar, Rim Ben Youssef, Angela S. Prudencio, Maialen Ormazabal, Jose Angel Martin-Rodriguez, Alfonso Albacete, Purificacion Martinez-Melgarejo, Francisco Perez-Alfocea
Summary: This study finds that grafting genetically diverse rootstocks onto tomato scion varieties can directly improve yield stability under reduced fertilizer application by improving nutrient capture and promoting ecosystem services such as insect pollination.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jurene E. Kemp, Mario Vallejo-Marin
Summary: The study showed that changes in anther morphology in Solanum plants are associated with variations in pollen dispensing schedules, with small-flowered taxa releasing pollen at higher rates and faster vibration velocities resulting in more pollen released. These results suggest that floral characteristics and bee vibration properties play a role in the pollen dispensing properties of poricidal anthers, providing a mechanism to adapt to different pollination environments.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sandra V. Rojas-Nossa, Jose Maria Sanchez, Luis Navarro
Summary: Nectar robbers can effectively perform cross-pollination but reduce the visitation rates of legitimate visitors, contributing to both positive and negative effects on plant reproduction. This interaction results in a net neutral effect for the plant, showcasing the complexity of plant-insect interactions.
Article
Plant Sciences
Bruna C. Barbosa, Tamiris D. Delgado de Lima, Guilherme V. Mota, Anselmo Nogueira
Summary: This study investigates the impact of body size and behavior of bumblebee Bombus morio on the pollination of Chamaecrista latistipula. The results show that regardless of the variation in body size and behavior, bumblebees are equally effective in removing pollen and pollinating flowers. Larger bumblebees visit flowers for shorter periods, promoting higher male reproductive fitness.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Cecilia Kardum Hjort, Josephine R. Paris, Peter Olsson, Lina Herbertsson, Joachim R. Miranda, Rachael Y. Dudaniec, Henrik G. Smith
Summary: The global movement of bees for agricultural pollination services can affect the local pollinator populations. This study investigates the genetic introgression and evolutionary divergence between wild and commercial bumblebees by comparing their whole genomes. The results show no widespread recent introgression of commercial bumblebees into local wild conspecific populations, but a highly divergent region on chromosome 11 in commercial bumblebees indicates different evolutionary processes compared to wild bumblebees.
EVOLUTIONARY APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Joanna S. Brebner, James C. Makinson, Olivia K. Bates, Natacha Rossi, Ka S. Lim, Thibault Dubois, Tamara Gomez-Moracho, Mathieu Lihoreau, Lars Chittka, Joseph L. Woodgate
Summary: Research shows that bumble bees utilize ground level linear features for navigation in the absence of skyline cues, with individual bees modulating their use of these features strategically based on their goals and experience across different behavioral contexts. These findings have important implications for the placement of bee colonies in agriculture and conservation of floral resources.
Review
Plant Sciences
Mario Vallejo-Marin
Summary: Bees produce different types of vibrations, including buzz pollination, through vibrations. Bees can control the characteristics of buzz pollination by adjusting the biomechanical properties of their thorax, in order to optimize energy use and pollen collection.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Aleah Querns, Rachel Wooliver, Mario Vallejo-Marin, Seema Nayan Sheth
Summary: The rise of globalization has allowed organisms to spread beyond their natural range and possibly become invasive species. However, the role of thermal adaptation in promoting the success of invasive species is still unclear. By studying the yellow monkeyflower, researchers found that thermal adaptation did not change during the invasion process.
Article
Ecology
Mario Vallejo-Marin, Carlos Eduardo Pereira Nunes, Avery Leigh Russell
Summary: The joined anther cones in buzz-pollinated species have been found to cause increased vibrations and pollen release. The development of anther fusion is independent across different species and genetic mechanisms, and the functional significance of joined anther cones needs further investigation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Larissa Chagas Oliveira, Carlos Eduardo Pereira Nunes, Vinicius Lourenco Garcia Brito, Ana Paula Souza Caetano
Summary: A study finds that the staminal glands of Macairea radula, a species in the Melastomataceae family, secrete an oil similar to bee reward. This oil can be collected by oil bees and may promote pollen adhesion to the bees' bodies, contributing to the plant's reproductive success.
Article
Ecology
Jurene E. Kemp, Francismeire J. Telles, Mario Vallejo-Marin
Summary: This study examined Cyanella hyacinthoides in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa and found that the presence of easily accessible floral resources reduces bee visitation rates to buzz-pollinated plants. Visitation rates were influenced by the relative abundance of flowers with accessible resources and were strongly associated with petal color, indicating the importance of flower color in mediating interactions. Buzz-pollinated plants may have a competitive disadvantage when competing with other species that offer easily accessible pollen sources and share similar floral signals.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Rubem S. Avila Jr, Diego Ismael Rocha, Carlos E. P. Nunes, Leonardo Galetto, Marcelo Carnier Dornelas, Marlies Sazima
Summary: The secretion dynamics of flower nectar in bat-pollinated Passiflora species show time segregation, with one species secreting nectar in the morning and the other species secreting nectar earlier. This helps avoid competition and pollen interference, making them important nectar sources for bats.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lucy Nevard, Mario Vallejo-Marin
Summary: Floral orientation plays a role in plant-pollinator interactions, especially in buzz-pollinated species. The effect of floral orientation on pollen transfer has been tested in this study.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Andrew J. Helmstetter, Rosana Zenil-Ferguson, Herve Sauquet, Sarah P. Otto, Marcos Mendez, Mario Vallejo-Marin, Juerg Schoenenberger, Concetta Burgarella, Bruce Anderson, Hugo de Boer, Sylvain Glemin, Jos Kafer
Summary: This study synthesized data from 152 studies on angiosperm clades using state-dependent speciation and extinction models, and found that intrinsic traits related to reproduction and morphology are often linked to species diversification. However, a set of universal drivers did not emerge as these traits had inconsistent effects across clades. Additionally, the study found that data set properties such as tree size, age, and sampling quality were correlated to SSE model results, and provided best practices for study design and reporting.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bruce Anderson, John Pannell, Sylvain Billiard, Concetta Burgarella, Hugo de Boer, Mathilde Dufay, Andrew J. Helmstetter, Marcos Mendez, Sarah P. Otto, Denis Roze, Herve Sauquet, Daniel Schoen, Jurg Schonenberger, Mario Vallejo-Marin, Rosana Zenil-Ferguson, Jos Kafer, Sylvain Glemin
Summary: Species diversity can vary greatly due to differences in speciation and extinction rates. This study examines the effects of various plant traits on diversification and finds that most traits have conflicting impacts. The complexities of trait-diversification relationships and context dependence highlight the need for controlled approaches in correlational studies.
Correction
Ecology
Rachel V. Wilkins, Maggie M. Mayberry, Mario Vallejo-Marin, Avery L. Russell
Article
Plant Sciences
Mayumi Vega-Polanco, Lislie Solis-Montero, Julio C. Rojas, Leopoldo Cruz-Lopez, David Alavez-Rosas, Mario Vallejo-Marin
Summary: Floral scents play a crucial role in plant-pollinator interactions. This study compares the floral scents of Solanum rostratum in Mexico and USA and investigates how these differences affect pollinator preferences and attraction. The results show that although bumble bees visit plants from different regions at different frequencies, the variation in floral scent does not affect their preference for the scent.
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Kayna Agostini, Marina Wolowski, Pedro Joaquim Bergamo, Vinicius Lourenco Garcia de Brito, Carlos Eduardo Pereira Nunes, Ludmila Mickeliunas Pansarin, Marlies Sazima
Summary: Interactions between plants and pollinators play a crucial role in species diversity, ecosystem functioning, and food production. This article reviews studies and projects funded by BIOTA/FAPESP, focusing on research approaches and findings in Pollination Biology, particularly plant-pollinator interactions. The study highlights the significance of pollination by bees, hawkmoths, hummingbirds, and bats, as well as specific mutualistic relationships between fig trees and fig wasps. The program played a vital role in enhancing knowledge on plant-pollinator interactions and biodiversity conservation.
Review
Biology
Jose A. Salim, Antonio M. Saraiva, Paula F. Zermoglio, Kayna Agostini, Marina Wolowski, Debora P. Drucker, Filipi M. Soares, Pedro J. Bergamo, Isabela G. Varassin, Leandro Freitas, Marcia M. Maues, Andre R. Rech, Allan K. Veiga, Andre L. Acosta, Andrea C. Araujo, Anselmo Nogueira, Betina Blochtein, Breno M. Freitas, Bruno C. Albertini, Camila Maia-Silva, Carlos E. P. Nunes, Carmen S. S. Pires, Charles F. dos Santos, Elisa P. Queiroz, Etienne A. Cartolano, Favizia F. de Oliveira, Felipe W. Amorim, Francisco E. Fonturbel, Gleycon da Silva, Helder Consolaro, Isabel Alves-dos-Santos, Isabel C. Machado, Juliana S. Silva, Katia P. Aleixo, Luisa G. Carvalheiro, Marcia A. Rocca, Mardiore Pinheiro, Michael Hrncir, Nathalia S. Streher, Patricia A. Ferreira, Patricia M. C. de Albuquerque, Pietro K. Maruyama, Rafael C. Borges, Tereza C. Giannini, Vinicius L. G. Brito
Summary: This article presents a vocabulary and data model for sharing plant-pollinator interactions data based on the Darwin Core standard. It aims to fill data and knowledge gaps, enabling scientific research on the ecology and evolution of plant-pollinator communities, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services, and the development of public policies.
Correction
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Taliesin J. Kinser, Ronald D. Smith, Amelia H. Lawrence, Arielle M. Cooley, Mario Vallejo-Marin, Gregory D. Conradi Smith, Joshua R. Puzey