Floral resource partitioning by individuals within generalised hoverfly pollination networks revealed by DNA metabarcoding

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Andrew Lucas, Swansea University; Owen Bodger, Swansea University; Berry J Brosi, Emory University; Col R. Ford, National Botanic Garden of Wales; Dan W. Forman, Swansea University; Carolyn Greig, Swansea University; Matthew Hegarty, Aberystwyth University; Laura Jones, National Botanic Garden of Wales; Penelope J. Neyland, Swansea University; Natasha de Vere, National Botanic Garden of Wales
• Language: English
• Date: 2018-12
• Publisher: Nature Research (part of Springer Nature): Fully open access journals
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2018
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-23103-0
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Scientific Reports
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• Volume: 8
• Issue: 1
• Grant/Funding Information: The National Botanic Garden of Wales receives support from the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.; The Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, recieves strategic funding from BBSRC.
• Research Categories: Environmental Sciences

Abstract

Pollination is a key ecosystem service for agriculture and wider ecosystem function. However, most pollination studies focus on Hymenoptera, with hoverflies (Syrphidae) frequently treated as a single functional group. We tested this assumption by investigating pollen carried by eleven species of hoverfly in five genera, Cheilosia, Eristalis, Rhingia, Sericomyia and Volucella, using DNA metabarcoding. Hoverflies carried pollen from 59 plant taxa, suggesting they visit a wider number of plant species than previously appreciated. Most pollen recorded came from plant taxa frequently found at our study sites, predominantly Apiaceae, Cardueae, Calluna vulgaris, Rubus fruticosus agg., and Succisa pratensis, with hoverflies transporting pollen from 40% of entomophilous plant species present. Overall pollen transport network structures were generalised, similar to other pollination networks elsewhere. All hoverfly species were also generalised with few exclusive plant/hoverfly interactions. However, using the Jaccard Index, we found significant differences in the relative composition of pollen loads between hoverfly genera, except for Volucella, demonstrating some degree of functional complementarity. Eristalis and Sericomyia species had significant differences in relative pollen load composition compared to congeners. Our results demonstrate the range of pollens transported by hoverflies and the potential pollination function undertaken within this ecologically and morphologically diverse guild.