Global Geographic Patterns of Heterospecific Pollen Receipt Help Uncover Potential Ecological and Evolutionary Impacts Across Plant Communities Worldwide

Species interactions are known to be key in driving patterns of biodiversity across the globe. Plant-plant interactions through heterospecific pollen (HP) transfer by their shared pollinators is common and has consequences for plant reproductive success and floral evolution, and thus has the potential to influence global patterns of biodiversity and plant community assembly. The literature on HP transfer is growing and it is therefore timely to review patterns and causes of among-species variation in HP receipt at a global scale, thus uncovering its potential contribution to global patterns of biodiversity. Here we analyzed published data on 245 species distributed across five continents to evaluate latitudinal and altitudinal patterns of HP receipt. We further analyzed the role of floral symmetry and evolutionary history in mediating patterns of HP receipt. Latitude and elevation affected the likelihood and intensity of HP receipt indicating that HP transfer increases in species-rich communities and in areas with high abundance of vertebrate pollinators. Floral symmetry and evolutionary history determined HP load size across plant communities worldwide. Overall, our results suggest that HP receipt may have the potential to contribute to global geographic patterns of plant diversity by imposing strong selective pressures in species-rich areas across the globe

The Role of Alien Species on Plant-Floral Visitor Network Structure in Invaded Communities

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The interactions between pairs of native and alien plants via shared use of pollinators have been widely studied. Community level studies however, are necessary in order to fully understand the factors and mechanisms that facilitate successful plant invasion, but these are still scarce. Specifically, few community level studies have considered how differences in invasion level (alien flower abundance), and degree of floral trait similarity between native and invasive species, mediate effects on native plant-pollinator communities. Here, we evaluated the role of alien species on overall plant-floral visitor network structure, and on species-level network parameters, across nine invaded coastal communities distributed along 205 km in Yucatán, México that vary in alien species richness and flower abundance. We further assessed the potential the role of alien plant species on plant-floral visitor network structure and robustness via computational simulation of native and invasive plant extinction scenarios. We did not find significant differences between native and alien species in their functional floral phenotypes or in their visitation rate and pollinator community composition in these invaded sites. Variation in the proportion of alien plant species and flower abundance across sites did not influence plant-pollinator network structure. Species-level network parameters (i.e., normalized degree and nestedness contribution) did not differ between native and alien species. Furthermore, our simulation analyses revealed that alien species are functionally equivalent to native species and contribute equally to network structure and robustness. Overall, our results suggest that high levels of floral trait similarity and pollinator use overlap may help facilitate the integration of alien species into native plant-pollinator networks. As a result, alien species may also play a similar role than that of natives in the structure and stability of native plant and pollinator communities in the studied coastal sand dune ecosystem

Integrating Floral Trait and Flowering Time Distribution Patterns Help Reveal a More Dynamic Nature of Co-Flowering Community Assembly Processes

Species\u27 floral traits and flowering times are known to be the major drivers of pollinator-mediated plant–plant interactions in diverse co-flowering communities. However, their simultaneous role in mediating plant community assembly and plant–pollinator interactions is still poorly understood. Since not all species flower at the same time, inference of facilitative and competitive interactions based on floral trait distribution patterns should account for fine phenological structure (intensity of flowering overlap) within co-flowering communities. Such an approach may also help reveal the simultaneous action of competitive and facilitative interactions in structuring co-flowering communities. Here we used modularity within a co-flowering network context, as a novel approach to detect convergent and/or over-dispersed patterns in floral trait distribution and pollinator sharing. Specifically, we evaluate differences in floral trait and pollinator distribution patterns within (high temporal flowering overlap) and among co-flowering modules (low temporal flowering overlap). We further evaluate the consistency of observed floral trait and pollinator sharing distribution patterns across space (three geographical regions) and time (dry and rainy seasons). We found that floral trait similarity was significantly higher in plant species within co-flowering modules than in species among them. This suggests pollinator facilitation may lead to floral trait convergence, but only within co-flowering modules. However, our results also revealed seasonal and spatial shifts in the underlying interactions (facilitation or competition) driving co-flowering assembly, suggesting that the prevalent dominant interactions are not static. Synthesis. Overall, we provide strong evidence showing that the use of flowering time and floral trait distribution alone may be insufficient to fully uncover the role of pollinator-mediated interactions in community assembly. Integrating this information along with patterns of pollinator sharing will greatly help reveal the simultaneous action of facilitative and competitive pollinator-mediated interactions in co-flowering communities. The spatial and temporal variation in flowering and trait distribution patterns observed further emphasize the importance of adopting a more dynamic view of community assembly processes

Diversidad, estructura y afinidades florísticas de un bosque temporalmente inundable de la Península de Yucatán

Temporarily flooded forests (TFF’s) are among the most endangered tree communities in Southeast Mexico and in a contradictory way among the least known in terms of their diversity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the richness, diversity (Shannon-Wiener) and dominance (relative importance value; RIV) of a TFF of the Yucatan Peninsula, and evaluate its floristic affinities with other TFF’s and upland forests (UF’s) of Southeast Mexico. A sampling method based on 10 quadrants of 10 x 20 m (2 000 m2) was used to record all woody individuals with diameter ≥ 1 cm and height ≥ 1.5 m. A floristic similarity analysis was used including 192 genera of woody plants belonging to TFF’s and UF’s of the Yucatan and Tabasco TFF’s. A Mantel correlation test was performed to determine if the geographic distance has effect on the floristic similarities between TFF’s and UF´s of the Yucatan peninsula. The TFF under study was characterized with a low level of diversity (2.79) and species richness (56), and a high dominance level (52.3 % of RIV in five species). Dominant species such as Haematoxylum campechianum, Dalbergia glabra, Cameraria latifolia, Byrsonima crassifolia, Crescentia cujete and Terminalia buceras showed a floristic neotropical affinity typical of floodable habitats. The structure of the community was characterized by an inverted "J" pattern for the distribution of individuals in the diametric and height classes. The high density of woody lianas, mainly of Dalbergia glabra (22 % of the recorded individuals) suggested an optimal state of conservation of the studied area. The floristic similarity analysis revealed that most of TFF’s in Yucatan Peninsula were grouped with high similarity (55 %) independently of the adjacent UF’s; however, TFF´s resulted similar among them (36 % similarity) when compared with TFF’s from other regions (16 % similarity). According to the Mantel test, the similarity between sites is not influenced by its geographical proximity (r = -0.098, p&gt;0.05). This emphasizes the need to generate conservation strategies for the TFF's of the Yucatan peninsula independently from other regions of Southeast Mexico. Our results suggest that the TFF of the studied region has a similar diversity from other TFF’s in Southeast Mexico, a different floristic composition compared with adjacent UF’s and a structure with an optimal conservation status, characteristics that indicate their importance for the regional flora conservation. Further ecological studies are needed to build a solid foundation for management and conservation for the TFF’s.</jats:p

Primer registro de Schultesia heterophylla (Gentianaceae) para la península de Yucatán

ResumenSe registra por primera vez Schultesia heterophylla Miq. (Gentianaceae) para la península de Yucatán. Esta especie solo se había registrado para Chiapas, México y para zonas temporalmente inundables de Centro y Sudamérica. Se presenta una clave de identificación de las 3 especies del género presentes en México y el mapa de distribución de las mismas.AbstractSchultesia heterophylla Miq. (Gentianaceae) is recorded for the first time from the Yucatán Peninsula. Previously, it had only been recorded for Chiapas, Mexico and for seasonally flooded areas in Central and South America. An identification key and a distribution map of the 3 species of the genus occurring in Mexico are provided

Taxonomic and Functional Diversity of the Co-Flowering Community Differentially Affect Cakile edentula Pollination at Different Spatial Scales

The number of co-flowering species, floral density and floral trait diversity can be major determinants of pollinator-mediated plant–plant interactions in a community. However, evaluation of how each one of these co-flowering components affects the pollination success of a single focal plant species, and how these effects vary at different spatial scales, is lacking. Here, we evaluated the effects of functional diversity (flower morphology and colour), taxonomic diversity (reflecting potential sampling effects) and flower density (conspecific and heterospecific), on the pollinator environment (i.e. visitation rate and pollinator diversity) and pollination success (i.e. pollen load size and number of pollen tubes per style) of Cakile edentula (Brassicaceae). We applied structural equation models (SEMs) at the floral-neighbourhood (plot level) and community-wide scales to uncover the factors that mediate co-flowering community effects on C. edentula pollination success. We found that co-flowering community effects at the community level are more important than fine-scale floral-neighbourhood differences in mediating plant pollination success in our study species. Increasing plant functional diversity decreased pollinator visitation rate but increased the diversity of pollinator functional groups visiting C. edentula flowers. Taxonomic diversity negatively affected pollinator diversity suggesting that other unmeasured floral traits may be relevant or that single-species effects (sampling effects) may be important. Overall, our results suggest that functional floral trait diversity in a community may be the most important factor influencing pollination success of species in a community. We also found evidence for intra- and interspecific pollinator competition mediated by flower density, but none of these effects seemed to have a significant impact on pollination success. This study is an important step towards understanding the complexity of co-flowering community effects on the pollination success of individual plant species at multiple spatial scales. This study further reveals the potential importance of plant functional diversity in a community in helping predict competitive and facilitative interactions in co-flowering communities. Synthesis. Floral density and taxonomic and functional co-flowering diversity are important drivers of pollination success in flowering plants. The effects of the co-flowering diversity on the pollination success of plant species can largely depend on the spatial scale being studied. Only evaluating the outcomes of pollinator-mediated plant–plant interactions at multiple stages of the pollination process can lead to a complete understanding of their ecological consequences in nature

Diversidad, estructura y afinidades florísticas de un bosque temporalmente inundable de la Península de Yucatán

Diversity, structure and floristic affinities of a temporarily flooded forest of the Yucatan Peninsula. Temporarily flooded forests (TFF’s) are among the most endangered tree communities in Southeast Mexico and in a contradictory way among the least known in terms of their diversity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to characterize the richness, diversity (Shannon-Wiener) and dominance (relative importance value; RIV) of a TFF of the Yucatan Peninsula, and evaluate its floristic affinities with other TFF’s and upland forests (UF’s) of Southeast Mexico. A sampling method based on 10 quadrants of 10 x 20 m (2 000 m2) was used to record all woody individuals with diameter ≥ 1 cm and height ≥ 1.5 m. A floristic similarity analysis was used including 192 genera of woody plants belonging to TFF’s and UF’s of the Yucatan and Tabasco TFF’s. A Mantel correlation test was performed to determine if the geographic distance has effect on the floristic similarities between TFF’s and UF ́s of the Yucatan peninsula. The TFF under study was characterized with a low level of diversity (2.79) and species richness (56), and a high dominance level (52.3 % of RIV in five species). Dominant species such as Haematoxylum campechianum, Dalbergia glabra, Cameraria latifolia, Byrsonima crassifolia, Crescentia cujete and Terminalia buceras showed a floristic neotropical affinity typical of floodable habitats. The structure of the community was characterized by an inverted “J” pattern for the distribution of individuals in the diametric and height classes. The high density of woody lianas, mainly of Dalbergia glabra (22 % of the recorded individuals) suggested an optimal state of conservation of the studied area. The floristic similarity analysis revealed that most of TFF’s in Yucatan Peninsula were grouped with high similarity (55 %) indepen-dently of the adjacent UF’s; however, TFF ́s resulted similar among them (36 % similarity) when compared with TFF’s from other regions (16 % similarity). According to the Mantel test, the similarity between sites is not influenced by its geographical proximity (r = -0.098, p>0.05). This emphasizes the need to generate conservation strategies for the TFF’s of the Yucatan peninsula independently from other regions of Southeast Mexico. Our results suggest that the TFF of the studied region has a similar diversity from other TFF’s in Southeast Mexico, a different floristic composition compared with adjacent UF’s and a structure with an optimal conservation sta-tus, characteristics that indicate their importance for the regional flora conservation. Further ecological studies are needed to build a solid foundation for management and conservation for the TFF’s. Rev. Biol. Trop. 65 (3): 868-880. Epub 2017 September 01

Integrating Floral Trait and Flowering Time Distribution Patterns Help Reveal a More Dynamic Nature of Co-Flowering Community Assembly Processes

Species\u27 floral traits and flowering times are known to be the major drivers of pollinator-mediated plant–plant interactions in diverse co-flowering communities. However, their simultaneous role in mediating plant community assembly and plant–pollinator interactions is still poorly understood. Since not all species flower at the same time, inference of facilitative and competitive interactions based on floral trait distribution patterns should account for fine phenological structure (intensity of flowering overlap) within co-flowering communities. Such an approach may also help reveal the simultaneous action of competitive and facilitative interactions in structuring co-flowering communities. Here we used modularity within a co-flowering network context, as a novel approach to detect convergent and/or over-dispersed patterns in floral trait distribution and pollinator sharing. Specifically, we evaluate differences in floral trait and pollinator distribution patterns within (high temporal flowering overlap) and among co-flowering modules (low temporal flowering overlap). We further evaluate the consistency of observed floral trait and pollinator sharing distribution patterns across space (three geographical regions) and time (dry and rainy seasons). We found that floral trait similarity was significantly higher in plant species within co-flowering modules than in species among them. This suggests pollinator facilitation may lead to floral trait convergence, but only within co-flowering modules. However, our results also revealed seasonal and spatial shifts in the underlying interactions (facilitation or competition) driving co-flowering assembly, suggesting that the prevalent dominant interactions are not static. Synthesis. Overall, we provide strong evidence showing that the use of flowering time and floral trait distribution alone may be insufficient to fully uncover the role of pollinator-mediated interactions in community assembly. Integrating this information along with patterns of pollinator sharing will greatly help reveal the simultaneous action of facilitative and competitive pollinator-mediated interactions in co-flowering communities. The spatial and temporal variation in flowering and trait distribution patterns observed further emphasize the importance of adopting a more dynamic view of community assembly processes

Dominancia, composición química-nutritiva de especies forrajeras y fitomasa potencial en una selva secundaria

The relationship between abundance, dominance and similarity of fodder species with the nutritional quality and quantity of potential phytomass for feeding bovines was determined, in sites with forest, shrub and herbaceous vegetation in dry and rain season. Fifty-four (54) fodder species were found grouped into 21 families (with Fabacea dominating). The abundance of woody fodder was higher in the rain season in the forest community (p<0.0001; 52.8±11.4) and in the dry season in the shrub community (p=0.002; 14.80±3.09). The similarity between communities varied from 0.27 to 0.54. The dominating fodder species of the forest community in the rain season presented high nutritional values, ruminal degradability (65.9-89.0 %) and metabolizable energy (9.35-11.52 MJ/kg DM). The highest content of tannins was in Bauhinia divaricata (12.75 %). The potential phytomass yielded 3272 and 1454 kg DM/ha in the rain and dry seasons, respectively, and was higher in herbs (P<0.0001; 3977±2299 and 2451±3336, respectively). A large diversity of fodder species was found, different in each plant community, and which differ in chemical-nutritional quality. As a whole, the potential phytomass of all the strata and the variety of nutrients that the species contain complement each other to feed bovines throughout the year.Se determinó la relación entre abundancia, dominancia y similitud de especies forrajeras con la calidad nutritiva y cantidad de fitomasa potencial para la alimentación de bovinos en sitios con vegetación forestal, arbustiva y herbácea en la época seca y la lluvia. Se encontraron 54 especies forrajeras agrupadas en 21 familias (dominando Fabacea). La abundancia de leñosas forrajeras fue mayor en temporada de lluvias en la comunidad forestal (p<0.0001; 52.8±11.4) y en la de secas en la arbustiva (p=0.002; 14.80±3.09). La similitud entre comunidades varió de 0.27 a 0.54. Las especies forrajeras dominantes de la comunidad forestal en lluvias presentaron altos valores nutricionales, degradabilidad ruminal (65.9-89.0 %) y energía metabolizable (9.35-11.52 MJ/kg MS). El mayor contenido de taninos fue en Bauhinia divaricata (12.75 %). La fitomasa potencial rindió 3272 y 1454 kg MS/ha en lluvias y secas, respectivamente, y fue mayor en herbáceas (P<0.0001; 3977±2299 y 2451±3336, respectivamente). Se encontró una gran diversidad de especies forrajeras, diferentes en cada comunidad vegetal, y que difieren en calidad químico-nutritiva. En su conjunto, la fitomasa potencial de todos los estratos y la variedad de nutrientes que las especies contienen se complementan para alimentar bovinos a lo largo del año

Primer registro de Schultesia heterophylla (Gentianaceae) para la península de Yucatán

Se registra por primera vez Schultesia heterophylla Miq. (Gentianaceae) para la península de Yucatán. Esta especie solo se había registrado para Chiapas, México y para zonas temporalmente inundables de Centro y Sudamérica. Se presenta una clave de identificación de las 3 especies del género presentes en México y el mapa de distribución de las mismas. Derechos Reservados © 2016 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Biología. Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la Licencia Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0