The pollination biology of a pavement plain: pollinator visitation patterns

Summary

The pollination biology of the 20 plant species of a treeless, pavement plain in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California was studied throughout one flowering season.

Several patterns of pollinator activity recorded during the season underline the necessity for noting the activity of all insect pollinators whether specialized, non-specialized, regular, or occasional:

• 1) Occasional insect visitors were a feature of the visitation to nine of the twelve entomophilous plant species and were the sole pollinators for three of these twelve species.

• 2) The eight entomophilous plant species which had open, generalized flower morphologies received the heaviest pollinator visitation, while three of the four entomophilous species with specialized flower morphologies received little visitation.

• 3) Most regular flower visitors, whether bees, flies, or wasps, appeared to be similar with respect to number of plant species visited regularly, purity of pollen load, length of residence and localization of activity on the site.

The question is raised as to whether such similarity of behavior as pollen vectors is a function of the low plant diversity or a feature commonly found when the pollen loads and behavior of different pollinator types are actually monitored.