Abstract Detail

The impact of climate change on plants and their interactions with pollinators

Rankin, Erin [1].

Cascading effects of water limitation on floral resources and their pollinators.

Pollinators provide key ecosystem services that are vital for the stability of natural ecosystems. Identifying factors influencing the plant–pollinator mutualism and pollinator management are necessary for promoting pollination services under a changing global climate. Since healthy bee populations require substantial amounts of carbohydrates (nectar) and protein (pollen) from forage plants, we must assess how resources offered by plants change under limited water conditions in order to fully understand how drought may modify the pollination mutualism. Here we explore how reduced water availability leads to decreased nectar quality and quantity and decreased protein quality of pollen. Furthermore, we investigate how lower quality resources lead to decreased survival and productivity in developing bees, including honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). This study emphasizes the importance of the nutritional effects of reduced water on bees when predicting shifts of pollination mutualisms under climate change.

1 - University Of California Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States

Keywords:
pollinator
water limitation
drought
floral rewards.

Presentation Type: Symposium Presentation
Number: S3007
Abstract ID:368
Candidate for Awards:None