A test of the magnet species hypothesis for the alpine plant, Myosotis alpestris

A test of the magnet species

hypothesis for the alpine plant,

Myosotis alpestris

Ally Ruttan

Facilitation = Positive

Interactions

Many plants rely on insects for pollination and co-evolution is common

Facilitation between plants and pollinators = shared access to resources

Magnet hypothesis

Target species

“Magnets”

Pollinators

Magnet hypothesis

Purpose

To determine the importance of neighbouring

flowering plants on the pollination of Myosotis

alpestris

Hypothesis

Flowering neighbour presence will

have an net positive effect on the

pollination of Myosotis alpestris

Predictions

1. Visitation rate of pollinators will

be higher when neighbours are

present

2. Pollinator richness will be higher

when neighbours are present

Pink Mountain

Pink Mountain

Pollinators - Diptera

Pollinators - Lepidoptera

Pollinators - Hymenoptera

A. B.

Experimental Design

Neighbours intact Neighbours removed

50 cm 50 cm

Neighbour removal

Before removal After removal

Neighbour removal

Camera set-up

Camera set-up

Video processing…

Video processing…

Target flower number

Other flower number

Pollination start/stop time and duration

Pollinator RTU

Prelim results – total visitation

RemovalNo Removal

Vis

itation m

ins/flo

wer/

hour

NS

Daily variation…

Sunny/warm/low wind: No Removal

Sunny/warm/low wind: Removal

Cloudy/cool/some wind: No Removal

Cloudy/cool/some wind: Removal

1 2 4 5 3 6 7 8

Day

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

Vis

itation m

ins/f

low

er/

hour

p=0.006

**

RemovalNo Removal

Vis

itation m

ins/flo

wer/

hour

Prelim results – Lepidoptera

RemovalNo Removal

Vis

itation m

ins/flo

wer/

hour

Prelim results – Hoverflies

p=0.001

***

p=0.03

*

Vis

itation m

ins/flo

wer/

hour

RemovalNo Removal

Prelim results – dance flies

(Empididae)

Conclusion

Neighbour presence and identity influences

visitation rate and distribution associated

with flowering plants

Preliminary evidence indicates not all

insects are necessarily subject to magnet

effect

Implications

Facilitation is important in alpine where

there harsh conditions and scarce

pollinators

Pollination reproduction

Implications

How will these plants respond in the face of climate

change?

Acknowledgements

Ecoblender lab, York University

Ron Long, Pink Mountain Biodiversity Initiative

Daniel Mosquin, Ed./Tech. Manager, UBC Botanical Garden

Anya Reid MSc, Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations