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The Campsis-Icterus association as a model system for avian nectar-robbery studies
1Department of Vertebrate Zoology, MRC-116, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC, 20013, USA. gravesg@si.edu.
Scientific Reports
|July 13, 2022
Summary
Orchard orioles frequently rob nectar from trumpet creeper flowers, damaging over 92% of blooms. This nectar-robbing by birds may influence plant flowering times and floral evolution.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Plant Science
Background:
- Avian nectar-robbing impacts plant-pollinator interactions but is understudied.
- Quantitative data on floral damage from nectar-robbing birds is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate nectar-robbing by orchard orioles on trumpet creeper flowers.
- To quantify floral damage and assess impacts on plant reproduction and phenology.
Main Methods:
- Observed orchard oriole (Icterus spurius) behavior on trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) flowers.
- Quantified the percentage of flowers robbed and the nature of floral damage.
- Assessed fruit set in relation to oriole presence and departure.
Main Results:
- Orchard orioles effectively robbed nectar from trumpet creeper flowers, bypassing defensive traits.
- Over 92% of flowers were robbed when orioles were present.
- Fruit set was absent during the oriole's presence and resumed after their migration.
Conclusions:
- Nectar-robbing by orchard orioles significantly impacts trumpet creeper reproductive success.
- Oriole nectar-robbing may act as a selective pressure favoring extended or delayed flowering seasons.
- The Campsis-Icterus interaction is a valuable model for studying avian nectar-robbing effects.
