Open Access

ARTICLE

Interplay of Temporal Variation in Nectar Parameters and Pollinator-Mediated Adaptations in Epimedium wushanense

Lanying Chen^1,2, Yifu Cai³, Qiumei Quan^3,*, Yunxiang Li³

1 College of Life Sciences, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637000, China
2 School of Ecology and Environment, Tibet University, Lasha, 850000, China
3 College of Environment Science and Engineering, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637000, China

* Corresponding Author: Qiumei Quan. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Ornamental Plants: Micropropagation, Plant Biotechnology, Chromosome Doubling, Mutagenesis, Plant Breeding, Environmental Stress Tolerance, and Postharvest Physiology)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(5), 1519-1532. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.064112

Received 05 February 2025; Accepted 16 April 2025; Issue published 29 May 2025

Abstract

This study investigates the diurnal patterns of nectar secretion, sugar content, and caloric value in Epimedium wushanense, and their interaction mechanisms with pollinator behavior under varying environmental conditions. Nectar secretion exhibited a diurnal pattern, peaking between 11:00 and 13:00, with progressive increases in both volumes (19.07 ± 1.66 μL/day) and caloric value (6.03 ± 0.55 cal/day) over four consecutive days, culminating in maximal production on Day 4 (p < 0.05). Floral bagging significantly altered nectar traits (Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.05), with bagged inflorescences demonstrating 61.82% higher nectar volume productivity relative to unbagged controls. Pollinator visitation, primarily by Bombus trifasciatus and Bombus grahami, was strongly correlated with nectar sugar concentration and distribution, peaking during midday when temperatures and humidity were optimal. Notably, B. trifasciatus displayed legitimate pollination behavior, while B. grahami exhibited nectar robbing. Bombus grahami peaked at 15:00 (7.67 ± 0.33 visits) under 22.8°C/58% RH, outperforming Bombus trifasciatus (5.67 ± 0.27 at 13:00; p < 0.05), highlighting differential pollinator effectiveness. Temperature negatively impacted unbagged nectar volume and caloric value but positively influenced bagged nectar, suggesting adaptive resource allocation strategies. These findings underscore the intricate relationship between environmental factors, nectar dynamics, and pollinator behavior, revealing how E. wushanense optimizes reproductive success through temporal and ecological adaptations. This study provides critical insights into the ecological mechanisms driving plant-pollinator interactions and resource allocation in changing environments.

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Keywords

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