Nectar yeasts in the tall Larkspur Delphinium barbeyi (Ranunculaceae) and effects on components of pollinator foraging behavior
| Autor: | Rebecca E. Irwin, M. Catherine Duryea, Robert N. Schaeffer, Cody R. Phillips, Jonathan Andicoechea |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Předmět: |
Pollination
Plant Nectar Foraging Plant-Microbial Interactions Colony Count Microbial lcsh:Medicine Biology medicine.disease_cause Microbial Ecology Behavioral Ecology Pollinator Plant-Animal Interactions Pollen Yeasts Botany medicine Nectar Animals lcsh:Science Multidisciplinary Ecology Behavior Animal Delphinium barbeyi Plant Ecology Ecology and Environmental Sciences lcsh:R Biology and Life Sciences food and beverages 15. Life on land biology.organism_classification Attraction Trophic Interactions Community Ecology Plant-Insect Interactions Evolutionary Ecology lcsh:Q Ranunculaceae Research Article |
| Zdroj: | PLoS ONE, Vol 9, Iss 10, p e108214 (2014) PLoS ONE |
| ISSN: | 1932-6203 |
| Popis: | Microorganisms frequently colonize the nectar of angiosperm species. Though capable of altering a suite of traits important for pollinator attraction, few studies exist that test the degree to which they mediate pollinator foraging behavior. The objective of our study was to fill this gap by assessing the abundance and diversity of yeasts associated with the perennial larkspur Delphinium barbeyi (Ranunculaceae) and testing whether their presence affected components of pollinator foraging behavior. Yeasts frequently colonized D. barbeyi nectar, populating 54–77% of flowers examined depending on site. Though common, the yeast community was species-poor, represented by a single species, Metschnikowia reukaufii. Female-phase flowers of D. barbeyi were more likely to have higher densities of yeasts in comparison to male-phase flowers. Pollinators were likely vectors of yeasts, as virgin (unvisited) flowers rarely contained yeasts compared to flowers open to pollinator visitation, which were frequently colonized. Finally, pollinators responded positively to the presence of yeasts. Bombus foragers both visited and probed more flowers inoculated with yeasts in comparison to uninoculated controls. Taken together, our results suggest that variation in the occurrence and density of nectar-inhabiting yeasts have the potential to alter components of pollinator foraging behavior linked to pollen transfer and plant fitness. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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