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Yeast-nectar interactions: metacommunities and effects on pollinators.
Hans Jacquemyn1, María I Pozo1, Sergio Álvarez-Pérez2
1Laboratory of Plant Conservation and Population Biology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
Current Opinion in Insect Science
|October 16, 2020
Summary
Animal-pollinated flowers host yeasts in nectar, influencing insect behavior and bee health. Yeast communities in nectar significantly impact plant-pollinator interactions and bee fitness.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Microbiology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Most flowering plants (90%) rely on animal pollination.
- Floral nectar, a primary attractant, is often colonized by yeasts after animal visits.
- Yeast colonization alters nectar scent, affecting insect foraging and nectar consumption.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the factors influencing yeast community assembly in floral nectar.
- To understand the impact of yeast colonization on plant-pollinator interactions.
- To explore the effects of yeast on bee foraging behavior and fitness.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of yeast communities in floral nectar.
- Investigation of factors affecting community assembly.
- Assessment of yeast effects on bee foraging and fitness.
Main Results:
- Yeast communities in nectar, though appearing simple, are shaped by complex interactions.
- Yeast colonization significantly impacts nectar scent, insect foraging, and nectar consumption.
- Consumption of yeast-colonized nectar can improve bee fitness, depending on yeast species.
Conclusions:
- Dispersal, colonization history, and nectar chemistry interact to influence yeast metacommunities.
- These interactions have pronounced effects on bee foraging behavior and fitness.
- Further research is needed to fully understand plant-microbe-pollinator dynamics.
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