Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Pollination and Flower Structure02:40

Pollination and Flower Structure

75.0K
Flowers are the reproductive, seed-producing structures of angiosperms. Typically, flowers consist of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. Sepals and petals are the vegetative flower organs. Stamens and carpels are the reproductive organs.  
75.0K
Ecological Niches02:02

Ecological Niches

25.9K
All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors—including food resources, climate, and terrain—that define the position of a given organism are collectively referred to as the organism’s ecological niche.
25.9K
Optimal Foraging00:48

Optimal Foraging

13.4K
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
13.4K
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

16.5K
Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the...
16.5K
Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

43.7K
Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
43.7K
Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

Predator-Prey Interactions

20.9K
Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
20.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Bumblebee queens differ in brain morphology but not learning performance across life stages.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Land Use Change Consistently Reduces α- But Not β- and γ-Diversity of Bees.

Global change biology·2025
Same author

Evolutionary History and Ecology of <i>Andrena</i> (<i>Foveoandrena</i>) <i>androfovea</i>: A New Nearctic Mining Bee (Hymenoptera, Andrenidae) Species and Subgenus.

Ecology and evolution·2024
Same author

A novel pesticide has lethal consequences for an important pollinator.

The Science of the total environment·2024
Same author

Simulation of early season herbivory via mechanical damage affects flower production in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo).

Annals of botany·2024
Same author

Diet specialization mediates drivers of <i>Cucurbita</i> herbivory in a semi-arid agroecosystem.

Current research in insect science·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea
07:19

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Published on: November 25, 2016

12.0K

Landscape context differentially drives diet breadth for two key pollinator species.

Sarah Cusser1, John L Neff2, Shalene Jha3

  • 1W.K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, 3700 East Gull Lake Dr, Hickory Corners, MI, 49060, USA. sarah.cusser@gmail.com.

Oecologia
|November 3, 2019
PubMed
Summary

Pollinator diet breadth varies with local conditions, not landscape context. European honey bees (Apis mellifera) and native bees (Melissodes tepaneca) prefer non-cotton pollen, highlighting conservation needs.

Keywords:
Diet preferenceGeneralityNetwork analysis

More Related Videos

A 3D Printed Pollen Trap for Bumble Bee Bombus Hive Entrances
07:19

A 3D Printed Pollen Trap for Bumble Bee Bombus Hive Entrances

Published on: July 9, 2020

5.9K
In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors
08:50

In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors

Published on: July 16, 2018

8.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 4, 2026

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea
07:19

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Published on: November 25, 2016

12.0K
A 3D Printed Pollen Trap for Bumble Bee Bombus Hive Entrances
07:19

A 3D Printed Pollen Trap for Bumble Bee Bombus Hive Entrances

Published on: July 9, 2020

5.9K
In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors
08:50

In Vitro Rearing of Solitary Bees: A Tool for Assessing Larval Risk Factors

Published on: July 16, 2018

8.6K

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Conservation Biology
  • Entomology

Background:

  • Animal diet influences survival and reproduction, affecting ecological networks.
  • Understanding diet breadth drivers is crucial for ecological function and conservation.
  • Plant-pollinator networks are vital in agricultural ecosystems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how local and landscape factors shape pollinator diet breadth.
  • To compare diet patterns between the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the native long-horned bee (Melissodes tepaneca).
  • To assess the conservation implications for key cotton pollinators.

Main Methods:

  • Constructed 36 quantitative plant-pollinator networks using observation and pollen analysis.
  • Focused on two primary cotton pollinators in the Texas Gulf Coast region.
  • Analyzed visitation data to determine diet breadth in relation to environmental context.

Main Results:

  • Diet breadth was highly context-dependent, with local factors being more influential than regional ones.
  • Apis mellifera and Melissodes tepaneca exhibited contrasting responses to local environmental factors.
  • Both species showed a significant preference for non-cotton pollen, foraging on remnant vegetation.

Conclusions:

  • Pollinator diet is strongly influenced by both species-specific traits and local environmental conditions.
  • Conservation strategies for cotton pollinators must consider these context-dependent dietary preferences.
  • Protecting remnant vegetation is essential for supporting pollinator diversity in agricultural landscapes.