Investigação da relação entre florivoria e síndromes de polinização

Abstract

Plants and pollinators maintain a mutualistic relationship necessary for plant reproduction and for the pollinator to collect the floral resource it needs. This relationship led to the diversification of plants and pollinators through coevolution, where one evolved in response to the other. However, there are antagonistic interactions that can change the visual display of flowers, making them less attractive to pollinators. Thus, florivory consists of damage to floral whorls (reproductive or sterile) caused by animals, and can be considered one of the selective pressures on plant reproduction. The objective of this study is to analyze the occurrence of florivory, identifying the possible floral attributes associated with this plant-animal interaction. The species were randomly collected on the UFRPE Campus and data from species from the Caatinga and from species belonging to the Dois Irmãos State Park (PEDI) were also used, and the floral attributes were recorded: color, shape, size, presence or absence of odor, symmetry, offered resource and pollination unit, classifying them according to the syndrome. The identification of the collected species was made through consultation of databases and specialized literature. Information on flowering species found in the literature was added to the in loco observations in the analyses. In this study, 50 species were considered, covering 23 families, with emphasis on Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Rubiaceae. There was a higher percentage of species with white and yellow flowers (both with 30%), rotated and hypocrateriform morphology (32% and 20%), very large size (38%), presence of odor (60%), actinomorphic symmetry ( 80%), nectar as a resource (76%) and flowers arranged in inflorescences (82%). These attributes are related to the greater representation of the melitophilia syndrome (64%). The set of floral attributes related to melitophily are associated with the greatest attraction of florivores in this study. Floral attributes such as open and easily accessible morphology, nectar as a resource, presence of odor, larger size and arrangement of flowers in inflorescences may be making flowers attractive to florivores.