[Pollination and pollinators in the vegetation of the coastal plain of Paraguaná, Falcón State, Venezuela]

Acta Cient Venez. 2003;54(2):97-114.
[Article in Spanish]

Abstract

Pollination systems and plant-pollinator dynamics were studied for 51 plant species according to life form, vegetation type, and flowering phenology in the Paraguaná peninsula, Venezuela. A total of 43 species of floral visitors were recorded from which only 33 (76.7%) were effective pollinators and ten only visitors. Pollinator fauna consisted only of insects. Six pollinating agent classes were identified in the area of study. Pollinating bees were the most important class (35.1%), followed by butterflies (24.3%) and flies (13.5%). This trend was similar for the psamophilous and mangrove vegetation, but pollinating wasps were the third in importance in the littoral vegetation. Temporal distribution of pollinating agent classes showed a peak during the flowering peak, and during the lowest level of rainfall in the locality. Pollination systems were mostly polyphilous (62.7%) followed by monophilous (27.4%), and oligophilous species (7.8%). This trend was found to be similar for the different vegetation types and life forms. In a similar way, pollinator agents were mainly polytropic (60.4%), followed by monotropic (24.6%) and oligotropic species (14.8%). Plant species/pollinator species ratio was close to one for all vegetation types in the Paraguaná peninsula. Besides, the average number of pollinator species per plant species was 2.2, and the average number of plant species pollinated per insect species was 2.7. Plant species/pollinator species ratio and the average values of pollinator and plant species indicate a diffuse and symmetric relation between pollinator and plant species. These results are discussed in the context of the dynamics of pollination.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ecosystem*
  • Flowers / physiology
  • Insecta / classification
  • Insecta / physiology*
  • Plant Development*
  • Plant Physiological Phenomena
  • Plants / classification
  • Pollen / physiology
  • Seasons
  • Venezuela