Does the flower constancy of bumble bees reflect foraging economics?
Does the flower constancy of bumble bees reflect foraging economics?
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1439-0310.2004.01010.x
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发表时间：
2004-10-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Thomson, JD
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Gegear, RJ;Thomson, JD
我们考察了花卉奖励水平和空间布置对大黄蜂表现出花的恒定倾向的影响。在三个不同的实验中，我们比较了不同奖赏浓度、奖赏体积或花间距离不同的蓝色和黄色花朵的二态排列上蜜蜂的花朵稳定性。总体而言，不同蜜蜂的花卉选择模式不同，从随机选择到完全恒定。当花朵包含更大的奖励体积并且间隔较远时，蜜蜂表现出较少的花朵稳定性，并更多地向邻近的花朵移动。奖励浓度的变化对花的稳定性没有影响；然而，越稀薄的奖励会产生更短的花之间的飞行时间。此外，当花朵间隔较远时，花的恒定程度与净能量获得率之间存在很强的正相关关系，表明恒定蜜蜂比不恒定蜜蜂是更经济的觅食者。总之，这些结果支持这样的观点，即传粉者的花朵稳定性反映了一种经济的觅食决定。
We examined the effects of floral reward level and spatial arrangement on the propensity of bumble bees to exhibit flower constancy. In three separate experiments, we compared the flower constancy of bees on dimorphic arrays of blue and yellow flowers that differed either in reward concentration, reward volume, or inter-flower distance. Overall, flower choice patterns varied among bees, ranging from random selection to complete constancy. When flowers contained greater reward volumes and were spaced farther apart, bees showed less flower constancy and more moves to closely neighbouring flowers. Changes in reward concentration had no effect on flower constancy; however, more dilute rewards produced shorter flight times between flowers. In addition, there was a strong positive relationship between degree of flower constancy and net rate of energy gain when flowers were spaced farther apart, indicating that constant bees were more economic foragers than inconstant bees. Together, these results support the view that the flower constancy of pollinators reflects an economic foraging decision.