19 October, 2018

Pollen carryover between sequential foraging trips by a solitary bee: Implications for distant outcrossing


A Osmia bee collects pollen from a sunflower
by James H. Cane, Byron Love
The propensity of bees to forage locally in small patches results in very limited pollen travel and often small genetic neighbour-hoods for their floral hosts.  Nevertheless, distant pollen flow is rare but regularly detected, seemingly at odds with bees’ localized foraging patterns.
In this study, we experimentally evaluate a nesting bee’s carryover of pollen acquired during her preceding foraging trip and its contribution to host seed set.  We used the bee Osmia californica foraging at sunflowers. 


Read the whole summary in: English!
Read the scientific publication in JPE.
 

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