Einfluss von verringerten Niederschlagsmengen und extremen Dürreereignissen auf die innerartliche Variabilität in Blütenmerkmalen und Blütenbesucherinteraktionen
Ökologie und Biodiversität der Tiere und Ökosysteme, Organismische Interaktionen
Organismische Interaktionen, chemische Ökologie und Mikrobiome pflanzlicher Systeme
Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse
Drought and water deficit, or a lack of water, can have a significant impact on floral traits and pollinators in an ecosystem. When plants experience water stress, they may grow smaller and produce less and smaller flowers with fewer or less nutritious nectar and pollen resources. This can reduce food availability and make it more difficult for pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, to find necessary resource for reproduction. For example, some solitary bees need to visit over 100 flowers to provide enough food for one egg. With lower numbers of flower available, bees might need more time and flight longer distances to collect it. This ultimately can have a negative impact on the population of pollinators in an area, leading to a decline in the number of pollinators. Moreover, this can also affect plant's reproduction success and seed production if pollinator avoid water stressed plants or not sufficiently pollinate them. Together, potential changes in pollinator and plant reproduction and abundance due to water deficit can affect entire ecosystem. For example, if the plant population declines, animals that rely on those plants for food may also decline resulting in shift in natural communities. However, how large the effect of water deficit is, depends mostly on three factors. The length of the time non-sufficient water supply. The strength of non-sufficient water supply, i.e. if there is no water available or if the water supply is limited. Here, with increasing length and strength the water deficit increases. Last, the timepoint of non-sufficient water supply during the plant development. If water deficit occurs early before the on-set of flowering, plants may be able to buffer floral trait expressions against water stress and maintain pollinator attraction, mitigating negative effects.
Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)
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A meta‐analysis of responses in floral traits and flower–visitor interactions to water deficit. Global Change Biology, 27(13), 3095-3108.
Kuppler, Jonas & Kotowska, Martyna M.
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Bumblebee Behavior on Flowers, but Not Initial Attraction, Is Altered by Short-Term Drought Stress. Frontiers in Plant Science, 11.
Höfer, Rebecca J.; Ayasse, Manfred & Kuppler, Jonas
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Drought-induced reduction in flower size and abundance correlates with reduced flower visits by bumble bees. AoB PLANTS, 13(1).
Kuppler, J.; Wieland, J.; Junker, R. R. & Ayasse, M.
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Reduced seed set under water deficit is driven mainly by reduced flower numbers and not by changes in flower visitations and pollination. Functional Ecology, 37(2), 461-471.
Höfer, Rebecca J.; Lindner, Tina; Ayasse, Manfred & Kuppler, Jonas
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Water Deficit, Nitrogen Availability, and Their Combination Differently Affect Floral Scent Emission in Three Brassicaceae Species. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 48(11-12), 882-899.
Höfer, Rebecca J.; Ayasse, Manfred & Kuppler, Jonas
