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Pollen adaptation to ant pollination: a case study from the Proteaceae.

Nicola Delnevo¹, Eddie J van Etten¹, Nicola Clemente²

¹Centre for Ecosystem Management, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia.

Annals of Botany

|April 1, 2020

Summary

Ants are effective pollinators for Conospermum undulatum, with its pollen showing high germination rates after ant contact. This study reveals ants play a significant role in the reproduction of this threatened plant species.

Keywords:

Conospermum undulatum Australia Hymenoptera ant–plant interaction biodiversity hotspot cuticular antimicrobial secretions entomophily floral fidelity mutualism myrmecophily pollen germination

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Botany
Pollination Biology

Background:

Ant-plant interactions are diverse, encompassing antagonistic and mutualistic relationships.
Ant pollination is a rare mutualistic interaction, with limited scientific documentation.
Conospermum (Proteaceae) is an insect-pollinated genus native to southwestern Australia.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the role of ants as pollinators for Conospermum undulatum.
To assess the pollen viability and carrying capacity of ants for C. undulatum.
To determine the contribution of ants to the reproductive success of C. undulatum.

Main Methods:

Pollen germination tests were conducted after exposure to ants and bees for C. undulatum and other plant species.
Floral visitors of C. undulatum were sampled to quantify pollen loads carried by ants.
Exclusion experiments (ants, flying insects, control) were performed to measure seed set.

Main Results:

Conospermum undulatum pollen exhibited an ~80% germination rate after ant contact, similar to bee pollination.
Other tested plant species showed a significant decrease (~10%) in pollen germination after ant contact.
Ants carried substantial pollen loads (68-86% viable grains) and significantly contributed to C. undulatum seed set.

Conclusions:

Generalizations about ants as ineffective pollinators are challenged by these findings.
Conospermum undulatum pollen possesses resistance to ant secretions, enabling effective pollination.
Ants provide crucial pollination services to the threatened species Conospermum undulatum.