Ecology and conservation of<i>Alseuosmia quercifolia</i>(Alseuosmiaceae) in the Waikato region, New Zealand

Merrett, Merilyn F.; Clarkson, Bruce D.; Bathgate, Jane

doi:10.1080/0028825x.2002.9512770

Cited by 10 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…The singular New Zealand case was reported by Merrett et al (2002), who removed Alseuosmia pollen, but no other pollen types, from the base of the proboscis of a Epyaxa rosearia (Geometridae) moth captured while feeding on Alseuosmia flowers. While pollen on a single individual does not prove that this species behaves as a pollinator, it is still highly informative and should be treated as a justification for further investigation.…”

Section: Evidence For Moth Pollination In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

The secret service – analysis of the available knowledge on moths as pollinators in New Zealand

Buxton¹,

Anderson²,

Lord³

2018

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Abstract:On a global-scale, moths (Lepidoptera) are considered to be important pollinators for many plant families. However, the assumption that moths are also involved in pollination in New Zealand is underpinned by relatively little research. Here we review the evidence for moth pollination of flowering plants in New Zealand and compare the quality of evidence available with that of the global literature. Globally, the majority of experimental studies have focused on the hawkmoths (Sphingidae) and other specialist pollinators, leaving a substantial gap in knowledge concerning the role of smaller and more generalist moths as pollinators. New Zealand lacks native Sphingidae; however, members of Geometridae, Noctuidae and Erebidae, all identified as pollinators globally, are mentioned as flower-visitors in New Zealand more than expected given their family sizes. In addition to these families, Oecophoridae are mentioned as flower-visitors in New Zealand but this has not been documented globally, suggesting new mutualisms may have evolved in New Zealand. Eight plant families: Alseuosmiaceae, Argophyllaceae, Campanulaceae, Gentianaceae, Goodeniaceae, Montiaceae, Pittosporaceae and Stylidiaceae, were mentioned in the context of moth pollination in New Zealand, but not in the global literature. The Orchidaceae family is most frequently mentioned in the context of moth pollination globally, but was not mentioned at all in the New Zealand literature, despite two endemic genera, Winika and Earina, showing floral features suggestive of moth pollination. The evidence to support pollination by moths in New Zealand comes predominantly from observations of flower-visitation and assumptions based on floral features. As this is not proof of effective pollen transfer, detailed experimental studies are required before the importance of moths as pollinators in New Zealand can be accurately gauged.Tuhika Whakarāpopoto: Ki te ao whānui, he whakaaiai whakahirahira kā pepe (Lepidoptera) ki kā tipu whaipua. Heoi, he iti noa te puna rakahau hai taunaki i te whakatatau he orite te mahi a kā pepe i Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu ('Aotearoa'). Ka tātari mātou i te rakahau e hākai ana ki te whakaaiai ā-pepe i kā tipu whaipua i Aotearoa, ā, ka whakatairite i te pai o te puna rakahau ki Aotearoa nei ki tō te ao. Ka arotahi te nuika o kā tuhika rakahau ā-ao ki kā ko Pepe Hīhue (Sphingidae) me ētahi atu pepe whakaaiai tauwhāiti. Kāore kā tuhika ā-ao e tirohia whānuitia te mahi a kā pepe iti iho me kā pepe mahi tauwhānui hai whakaaiai. Kāore he Sphingidae taketake ki Aotearoa, ekari ko ētahi pepe ko Pepe Tāwhana (Geometridae), ko Pepe Whānui (Noctuidae) ko Pepe Mokarakara (Erebidae) hoki, e mōhiotia ana he whakaaiai i kā tuhika ā-ao, ka meatia ki kā tuhika ā-Aotearoa he kaitoro-pua i kā wā maha, ahakoa te iti o ō rātou momo. I kitea hoki kā pepe Oecophoridae e toro-pua ana i kā tuhika ā-Aotearoa, kāore i kitea i kā tuhika ā-ao: he tohu pea ko panoni ētahi whakahoahoa hou ki Aotearoa. E waru kā momo tipu: Alseuosmiaceae, Argophyllaceae, Campanulaceae,...

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Section: Evidence For Moth Pollination In New Zealandmentioning

confidence: 99%

The secret service – analysis of the available knowledge on moths as pollinators in New Zealand

Buxton¹,

Anderson²,

Lord³

2018

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“…However, this species could be at risk should pollinator abundance decline. A. quercifolia is thought to be pollinated by moths (Merrett et al 2002), but here, as is generally the case in New Zealand, little is known about the importance of moth pollination (Newstrom & Robertson 2005).…”

Section: Both Populations Of Alseuosmia Quercifoliamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Poor recruitment is widespread in Pimelea arenaria populations, despite adequate seed set, and further research is required to determine the cause (Dawson et al 2005;Merrett 2007). The presence of seedlings but absence of juvenile plants in the Alseuosmia quercifolia PM site was most likely the result of seedling herbivory by introduced mammals such as hares and rabbits, or possibly rats (Best 1969;Daniel 1973;innes 1979;Moors 1985;Miller & Miller 1995;Merrett et al 2002;Wilson et al 2003). Recruitment failure in Coprosma spathulata at the HK site may be due to a lack of suitable habitat, primarily because reduced light levels associated with increasing canopy closure do not favour seedling establishment.…”

Section: Both Populations Of Alseuosmia Quercifoliamentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollination performance and vulnerability to pollination breakdown of sixteen native shrub species from New Zealand

Merrett

Robertson

Peterson

2007

New Zealand Journal of Botany

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The reproductive biology of 16 native shrub species was studied in 34 populations to identify breeding systems, pollen limitation, local abundance, and population age structures. Seven of the study species are hermaphroditic, seven dioecious, and two gynodioecious. one of the 18 hermaphrodite populations (Alseuosmia macrophylla at Mamaku Plateau) had high levels of self-incompatibility and pollen limitation and mutualism failure was evident. in the gender-dimorphic taxa, two populations (Coprosma spathulata from Hakarimata and Cyathodes juniperina from Pukemokemoke) had high levels of pollen limitation and insect-pollinated species consistently ranked higher in a vulnerability assessment compared with wind-pollinated species. There was no significant relationship between natural fruit set and the distance to the nearest conspecific pollen in any of the study populations. Seedling recruitment was variable but evident in 32 of the 34 study populations and appeared to be related to availability of suitable habitat. The species we studied occur mostly on forest edges where they rely on disturbed soil and high light conditions for establishment, and edges may be important for successful reproduction of some native plants, especially shrubs. We have demonstrated that plants with self-incompatibility mechanisms and pollinator specialisation are at greater risk from pollen limitation and mutualism failure than self-compatible or generalist species.

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“…The effectiveness of a pollinator is determined not only by its behaviour but also by the location of the pollen grains on the insect body and how that interacts with floral morphology. For Lepidoptera, pollen is most often located on the faces and proboscises as these body parts are more likely to come into contact with the sex organs of the flowers (Turnock et al 1978;Merrett et al 2002;Fenster et al 2004) although not exclusively, see Funamoto (2019). Both I. plena and Wiseana carried pollen tracker on all anatomical body parts after visiting L. scoparium and the proboscis of I. plena had pollen tracker on it in every instance which aligns with previous studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Moths can transfer pollen between flowers under experimental conditions

Buxton¹,

Anderson²,

Lord³

2022

NZJE

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To be considered an effective pollinator, a floral visitor must not only be able to remove pollen but also transfer this pollen to a receptive conspecific stigma. While studies of diurnal pollination are commonplace, our understanding of the effectiveness of nocturnal pollinators is limited largely because of the difficulties of doing these studies at night. As a result of this, the way in which moths transfer pollen between flowers has been understudied globally, despite many authors suggesting they could be significant contributors to pollination. Here, we tested whether moths are capable of transferring pollen between flowers under experimental conditions using a fluorescent pollen-tracker powder. A flower-feeding taxon (Noctuidae: Ichneutica plena) and non-feeding taxon (Hepialidae: Wiseana spp.) were contained overnight with flowering shoots of putatively moth-pollinated Leptospermum scoparium and Pimelea prostrata (I. plena only), and putatively bird-pollinated Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora. Moths were able to transfer pollen tracker between flowers for both of the putatively mothpollinated species, while no pollen tracker was removed from putatively bird-pollinated flowers. Both the feeding and non-feeding moth taxa were able to transfer pollen tracker between flowers; however, the feeding taxon could be considered a more effective pollinator because of the greater proportion of individuals both carrying and transferring pollen tracker compared with the non-feeding taxon. This study provides experimental evidence that moths may contribute to the pollination of L. scoparium and P. prostrata, and suggests a reassessment of the pollination ecology for these species is warranted.

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Ecology and conservation ofAlseuosmia quercifolia(Alseuosmiaceae) in the Waikato region, New Zealand

Cited by 10 publications

References 13 publications

The secret service – analysis of the available knowledge on moths as pollinators in New Zealand

The secret service – analysis of the available knowledge on moths as pollinators in New Zealand

Pollination performance and vulnerability to pollination breakdown of sixteen native shrub species from New Zealand

Moths can transfer pollen between flowers under experimental conditions

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