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<p>Selection pressures exerted by pollinators are widely regarded as key drivers of the evolution of floral phenotypes. To capture presumed similarities in these selective forces, pollinators have traditionally been organized into functional groups based on a combination of taxonomic identity, morphology, and behavior. However, such groupings may not fully reflect variation in pollen transfer efficiency, particularly regarding heterospecific pollen transfer (HPT) potential. Previous research on this topic has been limited and has mostly focused on comparisons among functional groups within narrow taxonomic groups, such as bees. To investigate this issue more broadly, we assessed how 11 groups of insect pollinators spanning four major orders in a Japanese <i>satoyama</i> landscape, classified by both taxonomy and putative behavioral differences, varied in the heterospecificity of pollen on their bodies. Despite being collected from flowers of the same <i>Ligustrum</i> trees in close proximity, the body pollen profiles of these insects significantly differed—both among and within the 11 groups—in terms of the proportion of heterospecific (non-<i>Ligustrum</i>) pollen, the composition of pollen species, and the diversity of pollen species. Notably, marked variations were found within bees, flies, and beetles, as well as between males and females of the same bumble-bee species. We discuss the implications of these findings for the ecological relevance of pollinator groupings based on taxonomy and morphology in terms of their HPT potential, and how variation among and within groups may shape our understanding of their diverse effects on plants.</p>

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Heterospecificity of body pollen varies across and within trait-based groups of pollinators

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月22日

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  • Kohei Terada,
  • Kazuharu Ohashi

摘要

Selection pressures exerted by pollinators are widely regarded as key drivers of the evolution of floral phenotypes. To capture presumed similarities in these selective forces, pollinators have traditionally been organized into functional groups based on a combination of taxonomic identity, morphology, and behavior. However, such groupings may not fully reflect variation in pollen transfer efficiency, particularly regarding heterospecific pollen transfer (HPT) potential. Previous research on this topic has been limited and has mostly focused on comparisons among functional groups within narrow taxonomic groups, such as bees. To investigate this issue more broadly, we assessed how 11 groups of insect pollinators spanning four major orders in a Japanese satoyama landscape, classified by both taxonomy and putative behavioral differences, varied in the heterospecificity of pollen on their bodies. Despite being collected from flowers of the same Ligustrum trees in close proximity, the body pollen profiles of these insects significantly differed—both among and within the 11 groups—in terms of the proportion of heterospecific (non-Ligustrum) pollen, the composition of pollen species, and the diversity of pollen species. Notably, marked variations were found within bees, flies, and beetles, as well as between males and females of the same bumble-bee species. We discuss the implications of these findings for the ecological relevance of pollinator groupings based on taxonomy and morphology in terms of their HPT potential, and how variation among and within groups may shape our understanding of their diverse effects on plants.