Pollination Contribution Differs among Insects Visiting Cardiocrinum cordatum Flowers

Abstract

(1) Background: Cardiocrinum cordatum (Thunb.) Makino (Liliaceae) is a forest perennial herb distributed in East Asia. Although flower visitors for this plant species have been well reported, their contribution to pollination remains unknown. (2) Methods: We evaluated pollination contribution for visitors of C. cordatum flowers in a natural cool temperate forest. We investigated visiting frequency, the number of pollen grains per body surface, fruit set, and the mean number of seeds per fruit produced after a single visit of each visiting species. Combining the results of these experiments, we determined the most important pollinators of this species. (3) Results: For the population investigated in the study, the three most essential pollinators were the bumblebee (Bombus diversus tersatus) (Apidae), sweat bee (Halictidae sp.), and marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) (Syrphidae). Additionally, we found that the contribution of a flower-visiting ant species (Myrmica ruginodis Nylander (s.l.)) (Formicidae) is small. (4) Conclusions: Pollinator contributions differed among flower visitors. Our results underscore the insufficiency of current information about flower-visiting species to evaluate pollination contribution.

A Systematic Review on Opuntia (Cactaceae; Opuntioideae) Flower-Visiting Insects in the World with Emphasis on Mexico: Implications for Biodiversity Conservation

“…In this regard, ants could be even considered nectar thieves, because the pollen is not transported to other plant individuals as a result of their visit (mainly due to their small body size and absence of hair), and the plant does not benefit from the interaction from the sexual reproduction point of view (e.g., Komamura et al [ 69 ]). Although there are few ant species able to transport pollen, the usual presence of metapleural gland secretion on the integument can also reduce the viability of pollen grains in these particular cases, as documented by Beattie et al [ 70 ], Rostás et al [ 71 ], and Rostás and Tautz [ 72 ], therefore, not contributing to the effective cross-pollination.…”

Shade Avoidance and Light Foraging of a Clonal Woody Species, Pachysandra terminalis

“…The type of the spatial arrangement of ramets (phalanx or guerrilla) determines not only resource capture but also reproductive success, as an aggregation of ramets that belong to the same genets leads to an increased percentage of geitonogamous self-pollination [6]. Second, the total number of flowers may not provide an appropriate estimate of reproductive success through sexual reproduction because reproductive success is also determined by pollen limitation [78,79] and inbreeding depression caused by self-pollination [6,79,80]. Our data only showed that investment in sexual reproduction increased with the increment in ramet density, but it did not show the difference in reproductive success in different light environments.…”

“…The understory vegetation comprises a mixture of native species, which include Pachysandra terminalis, Sasa chartacea (Makino) Makino & Shibata, Cardiocrinum cordatum (Thunb.) Makino [78], and Phryma esquirolii H.Lév.…”

Syzygium myrtifolium Walp. flowering stages and its visitor insects

“…Boulter et al (2006) and Komamura et al (2021) stated that some visitors even when they obtained pollen or nectar from flowers may not contribute as pollinators for some plant species. In other words, research on determining which flower visitors are pollinators requires more detailed observations at least like Komamura et al (2021) did which were observing visiting frequency, counting the number of pollen grains per body surface, calculating fruit set, and investigating the mean number of seeds per fruit produced after a single visit of each visiting species. Another work also did by Boulter et al (2006) on determining any animals as pollinators, among others by using trapping methods and video surveillance.…”