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Title
Fatal attraction - the predation of pollinators leads to reproductive conflict in pollen limited populations of Drosera hookeri (Droseraceae) - Dataset
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008:
Author(s)
Publication Date
2023-04-04
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008
Abstract
Pollinator-prey conflict in carnivorous plants occurs when plants that benefit from pollinators are pollen-limited and pollinators are snared by trap-leaves. To date a strong pollinator-prey conflict has not been found and is attributed to spatial and/or cue differences between flowers and traps abating conflict. Here we test whether pollinator-prey conflict occurs for Drosera hookeri (Droseraceae), which produces entomophilous flowers adjacent to leaf-traps. We also test the hypothesis that flowers have a dual role of pollinator attraction and deception by tumbling pollinators and other floral visitors into leaf-traps. From 2007-2021, in a drought-prone habitat in eastern Australia, pollinator diversity and visitation rates were scored at flowers using camcorders while pan-traps provided an estimate of pollinator abundance in the community. Hand-pollination experiments were used to determine pollinator dependence and pollen limitation. We also measured arthropod abundance in trap-leaves before, during and after flowering. In a paired experiment we compared leaf captures between plants with and without flowers to determine if flowers are complicit in the leaf captures of pollinators. Although self-compatible, with a delayed selfing-mechanism, outcrossed flowers produced more seed than self-pollinated flowers, indicating that pollinators are beneficial. Plants were pollen-limited in both years tested. Flies (non-pollinating and pollinating) were the most common prey with the greatest numbers during peak flowering. Pollinators, predominantly Melangyna virdiceps (Syriphidae, Diptera), contributed c. 57% of prey captures, and experimentally we show that they are not attracted to plants without flowers. Pollinators are often deposited into trap-leaves from flowers, which tip under their weight, to nearby leaf traps. A strong pollinator-prey conflict was detected with an overlap in prey and pollinators in a pollen and pollinator-limited system. Flowers attract pollinators and non-pollinators to plants. Leaf entrapment for pollinators occurs as a mishap in foraging rather than attraction to trap-leaves. The flowers in D. hookeri have the dual role of pollination and prey provision.
Publication Type
Dataset
Source of Publication
Fatal attraction - the predation of pollinators leads to reproductive conflict in pollen limited populations of Drosera hookeri (Droseraceae).
Publisher
University of New England
Place of Publication
Armidale, Australia
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020
HERDC Category Description
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