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Dependence on sunbird pollination for fruit set in three West African montane mistletoe species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 February 2012

Kerry A. Weston ,
Hazel M. Chapman ,
Dave Kelly  and
Elena V. Moltchanova
Kerry A. Weston*
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Hazel M. Chapman
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Dave Kelly
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand
Elena V. Moltchanova
Affiliation:
Mathematics and Statistics Department, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800 Christchurch, New Zealand
*
1Corresponding author. Current address: Department of Zoology, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract:

Theory predicts that not all plant species will be equally affected by disruption to their pollinator mutualisms because traits such as breeding system and mutualism strength can affect their response. We investigated these traits in three species of Afromontane mistletoe Globimetula braunii, Agelanthus brunneus and A. djurensis in Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Nigeria, to test whether the traits were reliable indicators of relative reproductive success and could be used to predict relative vulnerability to pollinator loss. For each mistletoe species, insect and bird visitors were identified during a 160–240-min observation period of 4–10 plants and their roles in flower opening and fruit set were investigated using exclusion experiments applied to 250–500 flowers. We found that all three mistletoes are self-compatible but not capable of autonomous self-fertilization. The pollinator assemblage comprised four species of sunbird (Cyanomitris spp., Cinnyris spp.) and a small social wasp (Vespinae). None of the mistletoes requires birds for flower opening: G. braunii flowers self-opened in the absence of pollinators, whereas insects opened both Agelanthus spp. Irrespective of flower opening, each mistletoe species requires sunbirds for effective pollination and fruit set. Only G. braunii demonstrated pollen limitation (pollen limitation index = 0.504) which may be an early indication of mutualism breakdown. We suggest that mistletoes be considered as indicators of habitat condition and functioning within Afromontane forest ecosystems.

Keywords

Afromontane forestAgelanthus brunneusAgelanthus djurensisGlobimetula brauniiLoranthaceaemutualismNigeriapollen limitationself compatibilitysunbirds
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , March 2012 , pp. 205 - 213
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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