Ecología de la polinización de Syagrus smithii (Arecaceae), una palma cantarofila de la Amazonia Colombiana

Abstract

A partir de la evaluación de la morfología floral, la fenología reproductiva, la biología floral, los visitantes florales y determinación de polinizadores se describe la estrategia de polinización de una población de la palma Syagrus smithii de la Amazonia colombiana. Syagrus smithii es una palma solitaria de hasta 10 m de alto; produjo de una a tres inflorescencias bisexuales, con flores estaminadas y pistiladas agrupadas en tríadas, con una flor central femenina y dos laterales masculinas. Las inflorescencias abrieron de día y las flores estuvieron activas de noche. Una inflorescencia permaneció activa en promedio 28 días; la fase masculina se extendió durante los primeros 14 días, seguida de una fase inactiva de 10 días, y la fase final pistilada por cuatro días. En fase masculina, las inflorescencias fueron visitadas por 37 y en fase femenina por 21 especies de insectos, principalmente de los órdenes Coleoptera‚ Hymenoptera y Diptera. Los visitantes accedieron en busca de polen y lugar para reproducción. De todos los visitantes‚ pocas especies fueron polinizadores. Los valores de los índices (IVIP) e (IRP) indicaron que Mystrops sp. nov. 2 y Mystrops sp nov. 3 (Nitidulidae: Coleoptera) fueron los principales polinizadores, mientras que especies de coleópteros como Microstates sp.2 y Sibinia sp. 1 fueron polinizadores secundarios. Dado que los polinizadores desarrollaban sus ciclos de vida en las inflorescencias‚ sugerimos la existencia de un sistema de mutua dependencia entre polinizadores y la palma, el cual asegura la presencia de los polinizadores a lo largo del año y palmas con semillas viables.

Reproductive biology ofSyagrus coronata(Arecaceae): sex‐biased insect visitation and the unusual case of scent emission by peduncular bracts

“…Furthermore, the flower‐visiting beetles utilize inflorescences of S. coronata as a source of pollen, as well as sites for mating and oviposition, creating the potential for mutual dependence that sometimes evolves into obligate mutualism (Núñez‐Avellaneda et al 2005; Kumano & Yamaoka 2006; Kumano‐Nomura & Yamaoka 2009; Hoe et al 2016). Predominant beetle pollination with an occasional contribution of stingless bees, as reported here, has been recorded in Attalea and Wettinia palms (Núñez‐Avellaneda et al 2005), as well as in other species of Syagrus (Silberbauer‐Gottsberger 1990; Gottsberger & Silberbauer‐Gottsberger 2006; Martel et al 2013; Guerrero‐Olaya & Núñez‐Avellaneda 2017). Similar to our findings, individuals of S. coronata in Bahia were also predominantly pollinated by beetles, especially derelomine flower weevils.…”

“…Becc. (Lopes 2007; Miola et al 2010; Nunes 2010), whereas others exhibit continuous reproductive events throughout the year, such as S. orinocensis (Spruce) Burret., S. smithii (H.E.Moore) Glassman and S. pseudococus (Raddi) Glassman (Genini et al 2009; Guerrero‐Olaya & Núñez‐Avellaneda 2017; Núñez‐Avellaneda & Carreño 2017). Our own records on the reproductive phenology of S .…”

“…Becc. (Lopes 2007;Miola et al 2010;Nunes 2010), whereas others exhibit continuous reproductive events throughout the year, such as S. orinocensis (Spruce) Burret., S. smithii (H.E.Moore) Glassman and S. pseudococus (Raddi) Glassman (Genini et al 2009;Guerrero-Olaya & N uñez-Avellaneda 2017;N uñez-Avellaneda & Carreño 2017). Our own records on the reproductive phenology of S. coronata in Pernambuco differ from previous reports from populations in Bahia: S. coronata fruiting in Pernambuco occurs predominantly between March and July (Bondar 1938), whereas in Bahia it occurs between October and December (Lorenzi 1992).…”

“…The Neotropical genus Syagrus currently comprises 65 species, of which 57 occur in Brazil (Noblick 2017), with diverse reproductive strategies and phenological patterns (Lopes 2007; Begnini 2008; Rocha 2009; Genini et al 2009; Miola et al 2010; Nunes 2010; Freire et al 2013). Although most species of Syagrus are chiefly beetle‐pollinated, their flowers attract various insect groups, such as bees and flies, which can function as secondary pollinators or even main pollinators (Gottsberger & Silberbauer‐Gottsberger 2006; Rocha 2009; Silberbauer‐Gottsberger et al 2013; Guerrero‐Olaya & Núñez‐Avellaneda 2017; Núñez‐Avellaneda & Carreño 2017; de Medeiros et al 2019). Recent studies have described some aspects of the reproductive biology of Syagrus species, the ‘licuri palm’ ( Syagrus coronata (Mart.)…”

Evaluating insect-host interactions as a driver of species divergence in palm flower weevils

“…Mutualisms have sometimes been claimed to lead to highly specialized interactions and thereby promote diversification in both insects and plants 42 – 44 , but theoretical models do not predict that mutualisms lead to divergence in specialized interactions 15 . We note that Anchylorhynchus weevils are not exclusive pollinators of species of Syagrus palms 30 , 31 , 45 and the net effect of these interactions is currently unknown. Our model estimates the effect of pollination or antagonism by the parameters γ pol and γ ant , respectively (Eq.…”