INVESTIGADORES
GAVINI Sabrina
artículos
Título:
Predator and floral traits change pollinator behavior, with consequences for plant fitness
Autor/es:
SABRINA S GAVINI; CAROLINA QUINTERO; MARIANA TADEY
Revista:
ECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY
Editorial:
WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC
Referencias:
Lugar: Londres; Año: 2018 vol. 43 p. 731 - 741
ISSN:
0307-6946
Resumen:
1. Flower dwelling predators may interfere in plant-pollinator interactions through changes in pollinator behavior, leading to a reduction in pollination services. Although the context-dependency of tri-trophic interactions is often acknowledged, the relative contribution of predator, pollinator and flower traits in shaping pollinator behavior has been rarely studied simultaneously. 2. We evaluated pollinator?s responses to predation risk using artificial spiders on Alstroemeria aurea flowers to experimentally test whether predator traits (color and size) and nectar availability affect their behavior and plant fitness. 3. Regarding predator?s traits, both sizes of artificial spiders used were similarly rejected, but spider color was detected differently. Particularly, red and black artificial spiders were more strongly rejected than the rest. In turn, nectar availability increased the time spent in the inflorescences, yet most pollinators rejected flowers with artificial spiders independently of nectar availability. Furthermore, responses to artificial spider color and nectar availability significantly varied between dipterans and hymenopterans. Finally, artificial spiders reduced seed set and fruit weight of plants owed to changes in the behavior of the most efficient pollinators.4. We showed that poorly studied predator traits like color and size may affect pollinator behavior in different ways among taxa. In addition, feeding necessity in a rich-resource environment was a weaker selecting force than predation risk. Hence, we argue that trade-offs between predation and flower reward may arise depending on predator detection, relationship between pollinator and predator size, and resource availability in the ecosystem with consequences for plant fitness.