Some types of plant accumulate liquid in their inflorescences creating phytotelmata.These environments protect the flowers against florivory,although they may be colonized by aquatic or semiaquatic florivorous insect ...Some types of plant accumulate liquid in their inflorescences creating phytotelmata.These environments protect the flowers against florivory,although they may be colonized by aquatic or semiaquatic florivorous insect larvae,whose effects on the fitness of the plants remain unclear.We tested the hypothesis of floral antagonism by the occupants of phytotelmata,which predicts that florivory by the occupants of the phytotelmata represents a cost to the female fitness of the plant,reducing its fecundity.We manipulated experimentally the infestation by 3 florivores larvae species occupants of phytotelmata in inflorescences of Heliconia spathocircinata(Heliconiaceae)to test for negative direct trophic effects on the fecundity of the flowering and fruiting bracts.We found that the foraging of the hoverfly(Syrphidae)and moth(Lepidoptera)larvae in the inflorescences contributed to a decline in the fecundity of the plant.While the lepidopteran impacted fecundity when foraging in both flowering and fruiting bracts,the syrphid only affected the fruiting bracts,which indicates that the nectar and floral tissue are the principal resource exploited by the hoverfly.By contrast,soldier fly(Stratiomyidae)had a neutral effect on fecundity,while foraging in flowering or fruiting bracts.These findings corroborate our hypothesis,that herbivory by the larval occupants represents cost to the host plant having phytotelmata.The negative influence of this foraging on plant fecundity will nevertheless depend on the consequences of the exploitation of resources,which vary considerably in ephemeral habitats such as the phytotalmanta of flower parts.展开更多
基金Funding for this study was provided by the Brazilian Coordination for Higher Education Personnel Training(CAPES:Coordenacao de Aperfeic¸oamento de Pessoal de Nıvel Superior)for providing C.C.C.M.with a doctoral research scholarship(this study was financed in part by CAPES—Finance Code 001).The Rio de Janeiro State Research Foundation(FAPERJ:Fundacao Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo aPesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro)provided C.C.C.M.with a grant(DSC-10 process E_01/201.955/2017)supported the research of M.A.S.A.(CNE processes E-26/203191/2015,E-26/202.835/2018)The Brazilian National Research Council(CNPq:Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientıfico e Tecnologico)provided M.A.S.A.with a research fellowship(PQ processes 305798/2014-6,306.579/2018-9).
文摘Some types of plant accumulate liquid in their inflorescences creating phytotelmata.These environments protect the flowers against florivory,although they may be colonized by aquatic or semiaquatic florivorous insect larvae,whose effects on the fitness of the plants remain unclear.We tested the hypothesis of floral antagonism by the occupants of phytotelmata,which predicts that florivory by the occupants of the phytotelmata represents a cost to the female fitness of the plant,reducing its fecundity.We manipulated experimentally the infestation by 3 florivores larvae species occupants of phytotelmata in inflorescences of Heliconia spathocircinata(Heliconiaceae)to test for negative direct trophic effects on the fecundity of the flowering and fruiting bracts.We found that the foraging of the hoverfly(Syrphidae)and moth(Lepidoptera)larvae in the inflorescences contributed to a decline in the fecundity of the plant.While the lepidopteran impacted fecundity when foraging in both flowering and fruiting bracts,the syrphid only affected the fruiting bracts,which indicates that the nectar and floral tissue are the principal resource exploited by the hoverfly.By contrast,soldier fly(Stratiomyidae)had a neutral effect on fecundity,while foraging in flowering or fruiting bracts.These findings corroborate our hypothesis,that herbivory by the larval occupants represents cost to the host plant having phytotelmata.The negative influence of this foraging on plant fecundity will nevertheless depend on the consequences of the exploitation of resources,which vary considerably in ephemeral habitats such as the phytotalmanta of flower parts.
