Combined effects of inflorescence architecture, display size, plant density and empty flowers on bumble bee behaviour: experimental study with artificial inflorescences |
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Authors: | Hiroshi S Ishii Yuimi Hirabayashi Gaku Kudo |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Ecosystem Studies, Institute of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan;(2) Obihiro Centennial Museum, Obihiro 080-0846, Japan;(3) Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan |
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Abstract: | Pollen dispersal by pollinators is governed by the extent to which diverse effects on pollinator behaviour act independently
or augment or moderate each other. Using artificial inflorescences, we assessed the behavioural responses of bumble bees to
inflorescence architecture (raceme, panicle, and umbel), inflorescence size (7 or 13 flowers), inter-inflorescence distance
and the proportion of empty flowers per inflorescence. The advantage of large inflorescences in terms of attractiveness was
larger for racemes and umbels than for panicles, whereas the effect of inter-inflorescence distance on the number of successive
probes was smaller for racemes than for panicles and umbels. The number of flowers probed per visit increased almost proportionally
with display size when fewer flowers were empty, whereas the number increased less when many flowers were empty. Our results
suggest that display size and the spatial arrangement of flowers and nectar within inflorescences can contribute to efficient
pollination by affecting pollinator behaviour interactively. |
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Keywords: | Artificial flower Bombus Nectar Pollinator |
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