Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning
Foraging specialization allows social insects to more efficiently exploit resources in their environment. Recent research on honeybees suggests that specialization on pollen or nectar among foragers is linked to reproductive physiology and sensory tuning (the Reproductive Ground-Plan Hypothesis; RGP...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PeerJ Inc.
2016-10-01
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| Series: | PeerJ |
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| Online Access: | https://peerj.com/articles/2599.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797418857889005568 |
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| author | Adam R. Smith Peter Graystock William O.H. Hughes |
| author_facet | Adam R. Smith Peter Graystock William O.H. Hughes |
| author_sort | Adam R. Smith |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Foraging specialization allows social insects to more efficiently exploit resources in their environment. Recent research on honeybees suggests that specialization on pollen or nectar among foragers is linked to reproductive physiology and sensory tuning (the Reproductive Ground-Plan Hypothesis; RGPH). However, our understanding of the underlying physiological relationships in non-Apis bees is still limited. Here we show that the bumblebee Bombus terrestris has specialist pollen and nectar foragers, and test whether foraging specialization in B. terrestris is linked to reproductive physiology, measured as ovarian activation. We show that neither ovary size, sensory sensitivity, measured through proboscis extension response (PER), or whole-body lipid stores differed between pollen foragers, nectar foragers, or generalist foragers. Body size also did not differ between any of these three forager groups. Non-foragers had significantly larger ovaries than foragers. This suggests that potentially reproductive individuals avoid foraging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:39:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-39b1141b7c674f47a744c2d7290b330e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2167-8359 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T06:39:03Z |
| publishDate | 2016-10-01 |
| publisher | PeerJ Inc. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PeerJ |
| spelling | doaj.art-39b1141b7c674f47a744c2d7290b330e2023-12-03T10:53:54ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592016-10-014e259910.7717/peerj.2599Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuningAdam R. Smith0Peter Graystock1William O.H. Hughes2Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United StatesDepartment of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United StatesSchool of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, United KingdomForaging specialization allows social insects to more efficiently exploit resources in their environment. Recent research on honeybees suggests that specialization on pollen or nectar among foragers is linked to reproductive physiology and sensory tuning (the Reproductive Ground-Plan Hypothesis; RGPH). However, our understanding of the underlying physiological relationships in non-Apis bees is still limited. Here we show that the bumblebee Bombus terrestris has specialist pollen and nectar foragers, and test whether foraging specialization in B. terrestris is linked to reproductive physiology, measured as ovarian activation. We show that neither ovary size, sensory sensitivity, measured through proboscis extension response (PER), or whole-body lipid stores differed between pollen foragers, nectar foragers, or generalist foragers. Body size also did not differ between any of these three forager groups. Non-foragers had significantly larger ovaries than foragers. This suggests that potentially reproductive individuals avoid foraging.https://peerj.com/articles/2599.pdfReproductive ground plan hypothesisForaging specializationDivision of labor |
| spellingShingle | Adam R. Smith Peter Graystock William O.H. Hughes Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning PeerJ Reproductive ground plan hypothesis Foraging specialization Division of labor |
| title | Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning |
| title_full | Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning |
| title_fullStr | Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning |
| title_full_unstemmed | Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning |
| title_short | Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning |
| title_sort | specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size lipid reserves or sensory tuning |
| topic | Reproductive ground plan hypothesis Foraging specialization Division of labor |
| url | https://peerj.com/articles/2599.pdf |
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