Patrones de asociación entre insectos polinizadores y palmas silvestres en Colombia con énfasis en palmas de importancia económica

Se describe, analiza y valida el papel de los insectos que han sido considerados los principales polinizadores de palmas neotropicales: las especies del género Mystrops (Nitidulidae), diferentes grupos de gorgojos (Curculionidae), los escarabajos del género Cyclocephala (Dynastidae), especies de y Abejas sin aguijón (Apidae Meliponinae). El estudio se realizó a partir de un análisis multiespecífico y multitemporal de polinizadores que involucró la colecta, separación e identificacion de visitantes florales de, al menos, 83 especies de palmas silvestres, provenientes de, al menos, 110 localidades distintas distribuidas a lo largo y ancho de Colombia, y de observaciones detalladas sobre la biología reproductiva y ecología de la polinización de 15 especies de palmas de los géneros Attalea, Ceroxylon, Mauritia, Manicaria, Oenocarpus y Syagrus. El estudio tuvo como hipótesis “Las especies de palmas presentan mecanismos de polinización especializados generados por la mutua dependencia con polinizadores específicos, constantes, eficientes y se encuentran a lo largo del área de distribución de cada especie de palma”. Los resultados indican que las especies de palmas atraen gran cantidad de insectos a las inflorescencias. Se encontraron 27 especies de Cyclocephala asociados a 59 especies de palmas; 114 especies de gorgojos asociados a 20 especies de palmas, respectivamente. En la mayoría de los casos los polinizadores son específicos, constantes espacial y temporalmente, eficientes y se encuentran a lo largo de la distribución de cada palma. El papel en la polinización es diferencial, la mayor importancia como polinizadores la presentan en su orden especies de Mystrops (Nitidulidae), Acalyptinae (Curculionidae), Meliponinae (Apidae), y con mínima participación, especies de Cyclocephala (Coleoptera). Los resultados validan la hipóteis de alta especialización en especies de Mystrops y Curculionidae, pero se rechaza la participación como polinizadores de Cyclocephala.Abstract. It describes, analyzes and validates the role of insects that have been considered the main pollinators of neotropical palms: the species of Mystrops (Nitidulidae), different groups of weevils (Curculionidae); beetles of the Cyclocephala (Dynastidae) and stingless bees (Apidae Meliponinae). The study was conducted from a multi-species and multi- temporal analysis of pollinators involving the collection, separation and identification of floral visitors from at least 83 species of neotropical palms, from at least 110 different locations spread all over width of Colombia, and detailed observations on the reproductive biology and pollination ecology of 15 species of palms of the genera Attalea, Ceroxylon, Mauritia, Manicaria, Oenocarpus and Syagrus. The study's assumptions "species of palms have specialized pollination mechanisms generated by the mutual dependence with specific, consistent, and are efficient pollinators throughout the range of each species of palm." The results indicate that the species of palms attract many insects inflorescences. 27 species to Cyclocephala associated with 59 of palms; 114 species of weevils associated with 20 species of palms, respectively. In most cases pollinators are specific, spatially and temporally constant, efficient and are along each tree distribution. The role in pollination is differential, the greater the importance as pollinators presented in their order Mystrops species (Nitidulidae), Acalyptinae (Curculionidae), Meliponinae (Apidae), with minimal participation Cyclocephala species (Coleoptera). The results validate the high specialization of Mystrops and Curculionidae, but participation is rejected as palm pollinators in Cyclocephala species.Doctorad

Pollination Ecology of the Manicaria saccifera (ARECACEAE): A Rare Case of Pollinator Exclusion

We studied the reproductive biology and pollination ecology of the palm cabecinegro (Manicaria saccifera) in very wet tropical forest, in the Chocó, Pacific region of Colombia. We present data about the phenology, floral morphology, floral biology, reproductive system, and pollination. M. saccifera is monoecious, self-incompatible, lacks apomixis and has dichogamy in the form of protogyny. Flowering occurs all year round with a peak between April and May. A single individual may produce up to five inflorescences in its reproductive period. Each inflorescence has unisexual flowers grouped in dyads and triads; anthesis is diurnal and the flowers may be receptive for 72 h. Flowers are visited by 10 species of insects. The inflorescences in the female-phase do not offer reward and insects are attracted by olfactory mimicry; in the male-phase flowers reward visitors with pollen and a place to oviposit. The most efficient pollinator is Mystrosp cercus (Nitidulidae), the only visitor arriving in abundance during the female-phase. Other insects do not enter the flower because the peduncular bract and the petals act as barriers, blocking the entrance of insects greater than 2 mm. Having one exclusive pollinator which in turn depends on the palm for its survival is an example of extreme specialization and mutual dependence

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

BIOLOGÍA REPRODUCTIVA Y ECOLOGÍA DE LA POLINIZACIÓN DE LA PALMA MILPESOS OENOCARPUS BATAUA EN LOS ANDES COLOMBIANOS

Entre agosto de 2005 y julio de 2006 estudiamos la fenología, la biología floral y el<br />sistema reproductivo de una población de Oenocarpus bataua (Palmae) en los Andes<br />colombianos. Evaluamos el sistema de polinización y determinamos la abundancia,<br />el comportamiento y la eficiencia de los polinizadores. La población floreció a lo<br />largo del año con un pico entre diciembre y enero. Cada inflorescencia pasa por<br />una fase masculina, una intermedia no reproductiva y una fase femenina. La antesis<br />ocurre en la noche, con producción de aromas y aumento en la temperatura de las<br />inflorescencias. Durante la fase masculina la temperatura de la inflorescencia fue 5.8<br />ºC, mayor que la temperatura ambiental y mayor que el aumento de la temperatura<br />en la fase femenina 4.2 ºC. El aroma floral está compuesto predominantemente por<br />α-gurjuneno, ciclozativeno y trans-cariofileno. Las flores fueron visitadas por 81<br />especies de artrópodos, principalmente de Coleópteros. Las inflorescencias en fase<br />masculina son visitadas en busca de alimento (polen, tejidos vegetales, presa) y<br />lugar para apareamiento. Las flores femeninas no ofrecen recompensas y atraen a los<br />polinizadores por mimetismo químico. La similitud entre los compuestos químicos<br />del aroma de las inflorescencias en fase masculina y femenina de O. bataua es alta<br />(92%), como ocurre en otras especies de palmas. O. bataua es monoica, xenogámica,<br />autoincompatible y dicogámica con protandria marcada. No encontramos evidencia<br />de transporte de polen a grandes distancias por el viento y al parecer la polinización<br />es principalmente por Coleópteros. Las siguientes especies fueron los polinizadores<br />más efectivos, Baridinae Gen 4, sp. 1, Phyllotrox sp. 35, Anchylorhynchus sp.<br />2, Anchylorhynchus tricarinatus (Curculionidae) y Mystrops sp. 1 (Nitidulidae),<br />los cuales son responsables del 97 % del flujo de polen entre inflorescencias. La<br />dependencia mutua, el grado de interrelación y la distribución geográfica similar<br />entre O. bataua y sus polinizadores, sugiere un importante grado de especialización<br />no evidenciado con anterioridad para esta especie

Reproductive biology of palma amarga (Sabal mauritiiformis: Arecaceae): Economically important species for the colombia caribbean coast

Sabal mauritiiformis is one of the most important non-timber natural economic resources in the Co-lombian Caribbean and its leaves are widely marketed for housing. The study was conducted between January 2013 and December 2015, during which floral biology phases were recorded every four hours for fiveteen days. The reproductive system was determined through controlled pollination assays in 3000 flowers. The reproductive efficiency was evaluated from 21 inflorescences, in which we recorded the num-ber of flower buds, flowers, ripe fruits and aborted fruits. The floral visitors were determined from 32 inflorescences and their behavior documented from direct observations. Reproductive palms of Sabal mauritiiformis presented between one to nine inflorescences. Flowering occurred from April to Novem-ber. Each inflorescence blooms for 10–20 days, with hermaphrodite flowers that entered anthesis between 01h:00–04h:00, although anther dehiscence occurred between 06h:30– 07h:30 and the stigmas were receptive between 10h:00–13h:00. Sabal mauritiiformis is self-incompatible, non-apomitic and predominantly xenogamic. A total of 65 species of insects and ten of arachnids visited inflorescences, but effective cross-pollination is predominantly carried out by the stingless bees (Meliponini), Nannotrigona mellaria and Scaptotrigona sp. 1. The documented reproductive efficiency was only 7.6 %, a phenome-non that could be associated with the continuous cutting of leaves, high rates of flower predation and low efficiency of pollen transport

Biología reproductiva y ecología de la polinización de la palma milpesos oenocarpus bataua en los andes colombianos

Entre agosto de 2005 y julio de 2006 estudiamos la fenología, la biología floral y elsistema reproductivo de una población de Oenocarpus bataua (Palmae) en los Andescolombianos. Evaluamos el sistema de polinización y determinamos la abundancia,el comportamiento y la eficiencia de los polinizadores. La población floreció a lolargo del año con un pico entre diciembre y enero. Cada inflorescencia pasa poruna fase masculina, una intermedia no reproductiva y una fase femenina. La antesisocurre en la noche, con producción de aromas y aumento en la temperatura de lasinflorescencias. Durante la fase masculina la temperatura de la inflorescencia fue 5.8ºC, mayor que la temperatura ambiental y mayor que el aumento de la temperaturaen la fase femenina 4.2 ºC. El aroma floral está compuesto predominantemente porα-gurjuneno, ciclozativeno y trans-cariofileno. Las flores fueron visitadas por 81especies de artrópodos, principalmente de Coleópteros. Las inflorescencias en fasemasculina son visitadas en busca de alimento (polen, tejidos vegetales, presa) ylugar para apareamiento. Las flores femeninas no ofrecen recompensas y atraen a lospolinizadores por mimetismo químico. La similitud entre los compuestos químicosdel aroma de las inflorescencias en fase masculina y femenina de O. bataua es alta(92%), como ocurre en otras especies de palmas. O. bataua es monoica, xenogámica,autoincompatible y dicogámica con protandria marcada. No encontramos evidenciade transporte de polen a grandes distancias por el viento y al parecer la polinizaciónes principalmente por Coleópteros. Las siguientes especies fueron los polinizadoresmás efectivos, Baridinae Gen 4, sp. 1, Phyllotrox sp. 35, Anchylorhynchus sp.2, Anchylorhynchus tricarinatus (Curculionidae) y Mystrops sp. 1 (Nitidulidae),los cuales son responsables del 97 % del flujo de polen entre inflorescencias. Ladependencia mutua, el grado de interrelación y la distribución geográfica similarentre O. bataua y sus polinizadores, sugiere un importante grado de especializaciónno evidenciado con anterioridad para esta especie

Ancognatha vulgaris (Melolonthidae, Cyclocephalini): a specialized pollen-feeding scarab associated with wax palms (Ceroxylon spp., Arecaceae) in Andean cloud forests of Colombia

With 22 species, Ancognatha is the fourth most species-rich genus of Neotropical cyclocephaline scarabs (Melolonthidae, Cyclocephalini), an important group of anthophilous insects associated with palms (Arecaceae). Unlike other members of the tribe, which predominantly inhabit low-altitude ecosystems, Ancognatha spp. are most common in montane areas, at elevations of 1500 to over 4000 m a.s.l. In the cloud forests of the Andes of Colombia, we investigated the association between Ancognatha vulgaris and seven species of wax palms (Ceroxylon spp.) from 2009 to 2013. Male and female A. vulgaris can be characterized as specialized florivores recovered in abundances of up to 40 individuals at both male and female inflorescences of all studied species of wax palms, which they also used for shelter and as aggregation sites for mating. The night-active beetles preferably fed on the pollen released in high quantities by staminate flowers of male inflorescences, but were also observed gnawing on the pistillate flowers of female inflorescences. We hypothesize that wax palm inflorescences are a key resource for the maintenance of populations of A. vulgaris under the extreme environmental conditions of Andean montane ecosystems, an assumption supported by their overlapping biogeographical distributions

Pollination of Bactris guineensis (Arecaceae), a potential economically exploitable fruit palm from the Colombian Caribbean

Regardless of the ecological and economical importance of palms, their pollination strategies and the identities of their true pollinators are still contentious subjects. Bactris guineensis grows in open areas in lowland Caribbean Colombia. Its fruits have long been an important component of local economy and are now targeted for broader scale production for the Colombian market. We explored details of the reproductive biology of B. guineensis in its natural environment to understand the various elements of pollen flow dynamics that ensure optimal fruit yield. During two consecutive years, we investigated the phenology, floral biology and pollination ecology of a wild population of B. guineensis in the department of Sucre, northern Colombia. Monthly production of buds, inflorescences and ripe infructescences were quantified. Pollen carrying capacity, efficiency and fidelity of anthophilous insect species associated with B. guineensis were calculated and used to define their role as effective pollinators. Bactris guineensis is protogynous and exhibits ephemeral nocturnal anthesis. In spite of strict xenogamy the average reproductive success was over 75%, attributed to high pollen vector efficiency. Twenty-seven insect species representing three orders were recorded as floral visitors, but the only effective pollinators were minute flower weevils and sap beetles. At the beginning of the female phase of anthesis, when pistillate flowers are receptive, inflorescences of B. guineensis warm up to over 12 °C above ambient air and emit a balsamic scent, attracting swarms of several hundred to thousands of beetles loaded with pollen. A second, shorter-lasting floral heating event takes place by dusk in the following day (or the male phase), which culminates with pollen shedding of staminate flowers and departure of the pollinators. Anthesis events that are highly synchronized with activity patterns of specialized scent-oriented pollinators ensure the high reproductive success of B. guineensis at our study site. Plans for large scale production should prioritize insect-friendly practices and investigation on the role of volatile floral kairomones for pollinator attraction

Population variation of Rhodnius prolixus (Reduviidae: Triatominae) in Attalea butyracea (arecaceae) in the Colombian Orinoquia region

The objective of this study was to determine the population density of Rhodnius prolixus and its developmental stages in natural forests of Attalea butyracea during a hydrological period in flooded savanna ecosystems of the Colombian Orinoquia region. One hundred twenty (120) palms were sampled over a period of one year using live bait traps for Triatomine bugs. Sampling showed that R. prolixus presents a high population density throughout the year, which increases during periods of low rainfall and decreases during the months of greatest precipitation. It was also found that all developmental stages of R. prolixus are presented throughout the year, although there are differences in their representation; showing decreases in density as developmental stages advance. Additionally, infestation, colonization and clustering were observed. The above suggests that the species presents population stability in A. butyracea forests without regard to climatic period, as well as reproductive success; thus individuals have the capacity to disperse and colonize other microhabitats at any time, regardless of climatic condition

Orchestrated flowering and interspecific facilitation: Key factors in the maintenance of the main pollinator of coexisting threatened species of andean wax palms (ceroxylon spp.)

Solitary, dioecious, and mostly endemic to Andean cloud forests, wax palms (Ceroxylon Bonpl. ex DC. spp.) are currently under worrisome conservation status. The establishment of management plans for their dwindling populations rely on detailed biological data, including their reproductive ecology. As in the case of numerous other Neotropical palm taxa, small beetles are assumed to be selective pollinators of wax palms, but their identity and relevance in successful fruit yield were unknown. During three consecutive reproductive seasons we collected data on population phenology and reproductive and floral biology of three syntopic species of wax palms native to the Colombian Andes. We also determined the composition of the associated flower-visiting entomofauna, quantifying the extent of the role of individual species as effective pollinators through standardized value indexes that take into consideration abundance, constancy, and pollen transport efficiency. The studied populations of C. parvifrons (Engel) H. Wendl., C. ventricosum Burret, and C. vogelianum (Engel) H. Wendl. exhibit seasonal reproductive cycles with marked temporal patterns of flower and fruit production. The composition of the associated flower-visiting entomofauna, comprised by ca. 50 morphotypes, was constant across flowering seasons and differed only marginally among species. Nonetheless, a fraction of the insect species associated with pistillate inflorescences actually carried pollen, and calculated pollinator importance indexes demonstrated that one insect species alone, Mystrops rotundula Sharp, accounted for 94%-99% of the effective pollination services for all three species of wax palms. The sequential asynchronous flowering of C. parvifrons, C. ventricosum, and C. vogelianum provides an abundant and constant supply of pollen, pivotal for the maintenance of large populations of their shared pollinators, a cooperative strategy proven effective by high fruit yield rates (up to 79%). Reproductive success might be compromised for all species by the population decline of one of them, as it would tamper with the temporal orchestration of pollen offer