Abstract Detail

Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions

Kornhauser, Kara [1], Christa, Mulder [2].

Early spring flowering time variability and its impact on the pollination and pollinator communities of early spring flowering boreal plants in interior Alaska.

Flowering in Alaskan boreal forests is happening earlier on average in the spring time, however it remains unknown how this relates to the pollinator community. Highbush cranberry (Viburnum edule) is one of the first plants to flower every year, and in years when it flowers early there are fewer other species in bloom compared to years when it flowers at a more average time. This research looks at the impact of flowering timing on pollen deposition on Viburnum edule, and the composition of the pollinator community visiting the available flowers. Highbush cranberry produces fruits that many Alaskans use as a subsistence food, and many boreal fauna consume these fruits as a regular part of their diet. The potential for change in pollinator behavior and for change in pollination of highbush cranberry due to warming temperatures in boreal forest ecosystems could alter resources for pollinators and impact fruit production. We found that early flowering highbush cranberry were pollinated less than average flowering highbush cranberry, with about 15 to 20 fewer pollen grains per flower. Early flowers were also more likely to have no pollen present on them than average flowers. We also observed that the diversity of the pollinator community was greater at an average flowering time than at an early flowering time. The early flowers had visits from flower flies, native bees, and muscid flies while the average flowering time plants also had visits from bumble bees, beetles, and honey bees. Thus, the community of pollinators was much more abundant during the average flowering period, seeing as much as three times as many visitors than in an early flowering period. The large shift in pollinators suggests that a shift to an earlier flowering time in the absence of a shift in pollinator phenology could lead to a reduced fruit availability in this species.

1 - University Of Alaska Fairbanks, Biology & Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 101 Murie Building, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, United States
2 - University Of Alaska Fairbanks, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 101 Murie Building, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, United States

Keywords:
pollinators
phenology
Spring
Boreal
Flowering
pollinator visitation
pollinator shifts.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P3, Symbioses: Plant, Animal, and Microbe Interactions Posters
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 21st, 2021
Time: 5:00 PM(EDT)
Number: P3SM007
Abstract ID:1024
Candidate for Awards:None