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Diversity matters: how bees benefit from different resin sources

  • Behavioral ecology - Original research
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Abstract

Biodiverse environments provide a variety of resources that can be exploited by consumers. While many studies revealed a positive correlation between biodiversity and consumer biomass and richness, only few studies have investigated how resource diversity affects single consumers. To better understand whether a single consumer species benefits from diverse resources, we tested how the protective function of a defensive plant resource (i.e. resin exploited by social bees) varied among different sources and target organisms (predators, parasites and pathogens). To assess synergistic effects, resins from different plant genera were tested separately and in combination. We found that resin diversity is beneficial for bees, with its functional properties depending on the target organisms, type and composition of resin. Different resins showed different effects, and mixtures were more effective than some of the single resins (functional complementarity). We conclude that resins of different plant species target different organisms and act synergistically where combined. Bees that rely on resin for protection benefit more when they have access to diverse resin sources. Loss of biodiversity may in turn destabilize consumer populations due to restricted access to a variety of resources.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Anna Baumann and Benjamin Kaluza for help with data collection and Alexandra-Maria Klein for helpful advice on the manuscript and the experimental design. We are also very grateful for the helpful comments of two anonymous reviewers. Funding for S. D. L. and N. D. was provided by the Deutsche Forschungs-Gemeinschaft (project LE 2750/1-1). N. D. is further funded by a doctoral fellowship provided by Leuphana University, Lüneburg, Germany.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 21335, Lüneburg, Germany

    Nora Drescher & Sara Diana Leonhardt

  2. Genecology Research Centre, Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, DC, 4558, Australia

    Helen M. Wallace, Mohammad Katouli & Carmelina F. Massaro

  3. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Sara Diana Leonhardt

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  1. Nora Drescher
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  2. Helen M. Wallace
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  5. Sara Diana Leonhardt
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Correspondence to Sara Diana Leonhardt.

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Communicated by Richard Karban.

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Drescher, N., Wallace, H.M., Katouli, M. et al. Diversity matters: how bees benefit from different resin sources. Oecologia 176, 943–953 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-014-3070-z

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