How many animal-pollinated angiosperms are nectar-producing?

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Botany
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Plant-pollinator interactions are crucial for biodiversity, with nectar being a primary floral reward.
• A comprehensive global assessment of nectar-producing angiosperms and their distribution is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the global number and proportion of animal-pollinated angiosperms that produce nectar.
• To investigate the influence of environmental factors on nectar production and floral resource diversity.

Main Methods:

• Compiled a database of 7,621 plant species from 322 families.
• Analyzed plant communities to explore relationships between nectar production, floral diversity, climate, and geographical gradients.

Main Results:

• Approximately 223,308 (74.4%) of animal-pollinated angiosperms are nectar-producing.
• Nectar production is more prevalent at higher latitudes and altitudes.
• Tropical regions with warm, moist climates show greater floral resource diversity but a lower proportion of nectar-producing plants.

Conclusions:

• Climate influences the diversification of floral resources, favoring diverse rewards in warmer climates over nectar specialization.
• Findings provide a foundation for understanding plant-pollinator relationships, plant evolution, and trait distribution.