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DENSITY, DIVERSITY, AND EFFICIENCY OF POLLINATORS OF SAINFOIN, ONOBRYCHIS VICIAEFOLIA SCOP.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

K.W. Richards  and
P.D. Edwards
K.W. Richards
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada Research Station, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1
P.D. Edwards
Affiliation:
Agriculture Canada Research Station, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1
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Abstract

The density and efficiency of bumble bees, honey bees, and alfalfa leafcutter bees on sainfoin, Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop., grown in southern Alberta were studied. Six species of bees were identified as pollinators, with alfalfa leafcutter bees comprising 56% of the observations, honey bees 40%, and bumble bees 4%. The density of flowers over the season can be described as curvilinear. The mean number of flowers per raceme decreased significantly over the season. The rate of foraging by pollinator species from flower to flower varied and is described by multiple regression models. Julian date, hour of day, and flower density are the independent variables. More than 90% of the bees visited three or fewer flowers per raceme when 60% of the racemes had three or more flowers available for pollination. The bees foraged on sainfoin for about 12 h per day and average bee density increased significantly with the corresponding flower density. A theoretical approach used to predict the bee populations required to pollinate varying flower densities shows that the required population of bumble bees is about two-thirds that of honey bees or alfalfa leafcutter bees. The observed populations of pollinators did not correspond well with the derived values, probably because multiple visits per flower are required for fertilization.

Résumé

Les auteurs ont étudié la densité et l’efficacité des bourdons, des abeilles domestiques et des mégachiles de la luzerne sur le sainfoin, Onobrychis viciaefolia Scop., cultivé dans le sud de l’Alberta. Parmi les insectes pollinisateurs de cette culture, ils ont observé six espèces d’apidés dont les trois susmentionées, dans les proportions 4%, 40% et 56%. Au cours de la saison de végétation, la densité des fleurs varie suivant une courbe curvilinéaire, et le nombre moyen de fleurs par grappe diminue de façon significative. Le taux de butinage varie selon les espèces pollinisatrices et est représentée par des modèles de régression multiples. La date du calendrier julien, l’heure du jour et la densité des fleurs sont les variables indépendantes. Plus de 90% des apidés à l’étude ont visité trois fleurs ou moins par grappe lorsque 60% des grappes comptaient au moins trois fleurs prêtes à être pollinisées. Les espèces observées passaient environ 12 h chaque jour à butiner dans le sainfoin, et leur densité moyenne a augmenté de façon significative en fonction de la densité des fleurs. L’approche théorique utilisée pour prévoir le nombre de sujets de chaque espèce nécessaire pour polliniser différentes densités de fleurs révèle que la population de bourdons requise à cette fin n’équivaut qu’au deux tiers environ du nombre d’abeilles domestiques ou de mégachiles de la luzerne. Le nombre de pollinisateurs de chaque espèce observé ne concorde pas avec les valeurs obtenues, et cela probablement parce que plusieurs visites d’une même fleur sont nécessaires pour assurer la fécondation.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 120 , Issue 12 , December 1988 , pp. 1085 - 1100
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1988

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