Ants as floral visitors of Blutaparon portulacoides (A. St-Hil.) Mears (Amaranthaceae): an ant pollination system in the Atlantic Rainforest

Autor(es)

Ibarra-Isassi, Javier ^[1] ; Sendoya, Sebastian Felipe ^[2]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Programa Posgrad Ecol, CP 6109, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Dept Biol Anim, CP 6109, BR-13083862 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: ARTHROPOD-PLANT INTERACTIONS; v. 10, n. 3, p. 221-227, JUN 2016.
• Citações Web of Science: 9

Resumo

Ant pollination is a debated topic that requires more attention in order to clarify the role of ants as potential pollinators. Although many authors consider ants as mere nectar robbers, there are studies proving that ants may act as pollinators and that some plants even have flower traits acting as ant attractors. In this study, we evaluated the role of the ants in pollination of Blutaparon portulacoides inflorescences. This plant species has most of the traits favorable for ant pollination, such as short and aggregated inflorescences, and synchronized blooming as well as growing in an environment where ant pollination is likely to occur. Our results show that ants are the most abundant visitors throughout the day and that there is no effect of ant integument on pollen germination. Furthermore, the flower visitor exclusion experiment showed that ants have a role in the pollination of B. portulacoides by promoting seed formation. Ants can have an important part in the pollination of B. portulacoides in a scenario where winged insects are absent or scarce. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/23399-3 - Interações entre formigas e plantas com nectários extraflorais: Padrões comunitários ao longo de um gradiente latitudinal no bioma do cerrado
• Beneficiário: Sebastian Felipe Sendoya Echeverry
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 14/12486-8 - Interações entre formigas, flores e visitantes florais em vegetação de cerrado: estudo de caso com Byrsonima intermedia A. Juss. (Malpighiaceae)
• Beneficiário: Javier Eduardo Ibarra Isassi
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado