Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon
Abstract Butterflies and moths are conspicuous flower visitors but their role in plant-pollinator interactions has rarely been quantified, especially in tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually no knowledge of environmental factors affecting the role of lepidopterans in pollination networks...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89012-x |
| _version_ | 1830301726191648768 |
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| author | Jan E. J. Mertens Lucas Brisson Štěpán Janeček Yannick Klomberg Vincent Maicher Szabolcs Sáfián Sylvain Delabye Pavel Potocký Ishmeal N. Kobe Tomasz Pyrcz Robert Tropek |
| author_facet | Jan E. J. Mertens Lucas Brisson Štěpán Janeček Yannick Klomberg Vincent Maicher Szabolcs Sáfián Sylvain Delabye Pavel Potocký Ishmeal N. Kobe Tomasz Pyrcz Robert Tropek |
| author_sort | Jan E. J. Mertens |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Butterflies and moths are conspicuous flower visitors but their role in plant-pollinator interactions has rarely been quantified, especially in tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually no knowledge of environmental factors affecting the role of lepidopterans in pollination networks. We videorecorded flower-visiting butterflies and hawkmoths on 212 plant species (> 26,000 recorded hrs) along the complete elevational gradient of rainforests on Mount Cameroon in dry and wet seasons. Altogether, we recorded 734 flower visits by 80 butterfly and 27 hawkmoth species, representing only ~ 4% of all flower visits. Although lepidopterans visited flowers of only a third of the plant species, they appeared to be key visitors for several plants. Lepidopterans visited flowers most frequently at mid-elevations and dry season, mirroring their local elevational patterns of diversity. Characteristics of interaction networks showed no apparent elevational or seasonal patterns, probably because of the high specialisation of all networks. Significant non-linear changes of proboscis and forewing lengths were found along elevation. A positive relationship between the lengths of proboscis of hesperiid butterflies and tube of visited flowers was detected. Differences in floral preferences were found between sphingids and butterflies, revealing the importance of nectar production, floral size and shape for sphingids, and floral colour for butterflies. The revealed trait-matching and floral preferences confirmed their potential to drive floral evolution in tropical ecosystems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T08:53:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4bac6d6021145bb8352039eb24e5255 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T08:53:32Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4bac6d6021145bb8352039eb24e52552022-12-21T20:28:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-05-0111111210.1038/s41598-021-89012-xElevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount CameroonJan E. J. Mertens0Lucas Brisson1Štěpán Janeček2Yannick Klomberg3Vincent Maicher4Szabolcs Sáfián5Sylvain Delabye6Pavel Potocký7Ishmeal N. Kobe8Tomasz Pyrcz9Robert Tropek10Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityFaculty of Science, University of South BohemiaDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityInstitute of Entomology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of SciencesDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityDepartment of Invertebrate Evolution, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian UniveristyDepartment of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles UniversityAbstract Butterflies and moths are conspicuous flower visitors but their role in plant-pollinator interactions has rarely been quantified, especially in tropical rainforests. Moreover, we have virtually no knowledge of environmental factors affecting the role of lepidopterans in pollination networks. We videorecorded flower-visiting butterflies and hawkmoths on 212 plant species (> 26,000 recorded hrs) along the complete elevational gradient of rainforests on Mount Cameroon in dry and wet seasons. Altogether, we recorded 734 flower visits by 80 butterfly and 27 hawkmoth species, representing only ~ 4% of all flower visits. Although lepidopterans visited flowers of only a third of the plant species, they appeared to be key visitors for several plants. Lepidopterans visited flowers most frequently at mid-elevations and dry season, mirroring their local elevational patterns of diversity. Characteristics of interaction networks showed no apparent elevational or seasonal patterns, probably because of the high specialisation of all networks. Significant non-linear changes of proboscis and forewing lengths were found along elevation. A positive relationship between the lengths of proboscis of hesperiid butterflies and tube of visited flowers was detected. Differences in floral preferences were found between sphingids and butterflies, revealing the importance of nectar production, floral size and shape for sphingids, and floral colour for butterflies. The revealed trait-matching and floral preferences confirmed their potential to drive floral evolution in tropical ecosystems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89012-x |
| spellingShingle | Jan E. J. Mertens Lucas Brisson Štěpán Janeček Yannick Klomberg Vincent Maicher Szabolcs Sáfián Sylvain Delabye Pavel Potocký Ishmeal N. Kobe Tomasz Pyrcz Robert Tropek Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon Scientific Reports |
| title | Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon |
| title_full | Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon |
| title_short | Elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant-pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of Mount Cameroon |
| title_sort | elevational and seasonal patterns of butterflies and hawkmoths in plant pollinator networks in tropical rainforests of mount cameroon |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89012-x |
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