The Influence of Climatic Seasonality on the Diversity of Different Tropical Pollinator Groups

Abrahamczyk, Stefan; Kluge, Jürgen; Gareca, Yuvinka; Reichle, Steffen; Kessler, Michael

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0027115

Cited by 64 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…At the same time, higher species richness may increase interspecific competition, which may explain why high species richness leads to higher levels of complementary specialization and modularity (Rezende et al, 2009;Dalsgaard et al, 2011;Krasnov et al, 2012;Junker et al, 2013). Moreover, a higher plant richness may also translate into a temporally stable availability of floral resources (or the establishment of a constant minimum local flower supply), enabling a locally constant hummingbird population and, hence, the potential for biotic specialization (Montgomerie & Gass, 1981;Stiles, 1985;Araujo & Sazima, 2003;Cotton, 2007;Abrahamczyk et al, 2011).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird–plant networks

González

Dalsgaard

Bravo

et al. 2015

Global Ecology and Biogeography

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108

121

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Aim To investigate the association between hummingbird–plant network structure and species richness, phylogenetic signal on species' interaction pattern, insularity and historical and current climate. Location Fifty‐four communities along a c. 10,000 km latitudinal gradient across the Americas (39° N–32° S), ranging from sea level to c. 3700 m a.s.l., located on the mainland and on islands and covering a wide range of climate regimes. Methods We measured the level of specialization and modularity in mutualistic plant–hummingbird interaction networks. Using an ordinary least squares multimodel approach, we examined the influence of species richness, phylogenetic signal, insularity and current and historical climate conditions on network structure (null‐model‐corrected specialization and modularity). Results Phylogenetically related species, especially plants, showed a tendency to interact with a similar array of mutualistic partners. The spatial variation in network structure exhibited a constant association with species phylogeny (R2 = 0.18–0.19); however, network structure showed the strongest association with species richness and environmental factors (R2 = 0.20–0.44 and R2 = 0.32–0.45, respectively). Specifically, higher levels of specialization and modularity were associated with species‐rich communities and communities in which closely related hummingbirds visited distinct sets of flowering species. On the mainland, specialization was also associated with warmer temperatures and greater historical temperature stability. Main conclusions Our results confirm the results of previous macroecological studies of interaction networks which have highlighted the importance of species richness and the environment in determining network structure. Additionally, for the first time, we report an association between network structure and species phylogenetic signal at a macroecological scale, indicating that high specialization and modularity are associated with high interspecific competition among closely related hummingbirds, subdividing the floral niche. This suggests a tighter co‐evolutionary association between hummingbirds and their plants than in previously studied plant–bird mutualistic systems.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird–plant networks

González

Dalsgaard

Bravo

et al. 2015

Global Ecology and Biogeography

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108

121

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“…C) when the abundance of specialist nectarivorous birds is reduced (Arizmendi & Ornelas, ; Craig & Hulley, ; Araujo & Sazima, ; Cotton, ). These plant species in many cases have evolved mechanisms to deter or prevent ineffective pollinators such as bees from visiting their flowers since bees remain abundant year round in the tropics and subtropics (Abrahamczyk et al, ). Such adaptations include unfavourable flower positions (Toledo, ; Vicentini & Fischer, )**, closed flowers that require specific adaptations in order to open them (Etcheverry & Alemán, ) or bitter nectar (Johnson, Hargreaves & Brown, ; Nicolson et al, ).…”

Section: Conditions Favouring the Evolution Of Generalist Bird Pollinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of the ecology and evolution of plants with a generalist bird pollination system between continents and islands worldwide

Abrahamczyk

2019

Biological Reviews

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Thousands of plant species worldwide are dependent on birds for pollination. While the ecology and evolution of interactions between specialist nectarivorous birds and the plants they pollinate is relatively well understood, very little is known on pollination by generalist birds. The flower characters of this pollination syndrome are clearly defined but the geographical distribution patterns, habitat preferences and ecological factors driving the evolution of generalist‐bird‐pollinated plant species have never been analysed. Herein I provide an overview, compare the distribution of character states for plants growing on continents with those occurring on oceanic islands and discuss the environmental factors driving the evolution of both groups. The ecological niches of generalist‐bird‐pollinated plant species differ: on continents these plants mainly occur in habitats with pronounced climatic seasonality whereas on islands generalist‐bird‐pollinated plant species mainly occur in evergreen forests. Further, on continents generalist‐bird‐pollinated plant species are mostly shrubs and other large woody species producing numerous flowers with a self‐incompatible reproductive system, while on islands they are mostly small shrubs producing fewer flowers and are self‐compatible. This difference in character states indicates that diverging ecological factors are likely to have driven the evolution of these groups: on continents, plants that evolved generalist bird pollination escape from pollinator groups that tend to maintain self‐pollination by installing feeding territories in single flowering trees or shrubs, such as social bees or specialist nectarivorous birds. This pattern is more pronounced in the New compared to the Old World. By contrast, on islands, plants evolved generalist bird pollination as an adaptation to birds as a reliable pollinator group, a pattern previously known from plants pollinated by specialist nectarivorous birds in tropical mountain ranges. Additionally, I discuss the evolutionary origins of bird pollination systems in comparison to systems involving specialist nectarivorous birds and reconstruct the bird pollination system of Hawaii, which may represent an intermediate between a specialist and generalist bird pollination system. I also discuss the interesting case of Australia, where it is difficult to distinguish between specialist and generalist bird pollination systems.

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“…In addition, several studies have previously documented the influence of climatic variables in the assembly of euglossine bee communities at both temporal and spatial scales (Nemesio and Silveira ; Abrahamczyk et al. ,b; Nemesio and Vasconcelos ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal cycles, phylogenetic assembly, and functional diversity of orchid bee communities

Ramírez

Hernández

Link

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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Neotropical rainforests sustain some of the most diverse terrestrial communities on Earth. Euglossine (or orchid) bees are a diverse lineage of insect pollinators distributed throughout the American tropics, where they provide pollination services to a staggering diversity of flowering plant taxa. Elucidating the seasonal patterns of phylogenetic assembly and functional trait diversity of bee communities can shed new light into the mechanisms that govern the assembly of bee pollinator communities and the potential effects of declining bee populations. Male euglossine bees collect, store, and accumulate odoriferous compounds (perfumes) to subsequently use during courtship display. Thus, synthetic chemical baits can be used to attract and monitor euglossine bee populations. We conducted monthly censuses of orchid bees in three sites in the Magdalena valley of Colombia – a region where Central and South American biotas converge – to investigate the structure, diversity, and assembly of euglossine bee communities through time in relation to seasonal climatic cycles. In particular, we tested the hypothesis that phylogenetic community structure and functional trait diversity changed in response to seasonal rainfall fluctuations. All communities exhibited strong to moderate phylogenetic clustering throughout the year, with few pronounced bursts of phylogenetic overdispersion that coincided with the transition from wet-to-dry seasons. Despite the heterogeneous distribution of functional traits (e.g., body size, body mass, and proboscis length) and the observed seasonal fluctuations in phylogenetic diversity, we found that functional trait diversity, evenness, and divergence remained constant during all seasons in all communities. However, similar to the pattern observed with phylogenetic diversity, functional trait richness fluctuated markedly with rainfall in all sites. These results emphasize the importance of considering seasonal fluctuations in community assembly and provide a glimpse to the potential effects that climatic alterations may have on both pollinator communities and the ecosystem services they provide.

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The Influence of Climatic Seasonality on the Diversity of Different Tropical Pollinator Groups

Cited by 64 publications

References 68 publications

The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird–plant networks

The macroecology of phylogenetically structured hummingbird–plant networks

Comparison of the ecology and evolution of plants with a generalist bird pollination system between continents and islands worldwide

Seasonal cycles, phylogenetic assembly, and functional diversity of orchid bee communities

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