Plant-pollinator-parasite interaction webs and pollination success
of flowering plants in a gradient of plant species diversity
People
Teja Tscharntke, Project P.I.
Alexandra Maria Klein, PostDoc
Anne Richter, Ph.D.-student
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Rationale
Little is known of the interactions between plant and pollinator diversity,
between pollinator diversity and pollination success and subsequent effects on plant recruitment
and ecosystem functioning. We will analyze the structure of plant-pollinator-parasite interaction
webs using the plant diversity gradient of the Jena experiment.
Pollination and seed set will be experimentally established and related to plant recruitment
and ecosystem functioning. Pollinator visitation patterns and pollination success may depend
on the diversity and composition of the flowering plant communities as well as floral traits.
Species-specific foraging times, flower constancy and the diversity and structure of the bee communities are related to pollination,
while patterns of pollination may affect inbreeding levels, seed viability and plant recruitment.
 Exposure of bee traps and dissection of adults will be used to measure bee parasitism.
Understanding of mutualistic plant-pollinator interactions complements the trophic-interaction studies of other subprojects on
plant-pathogen and plant-herbivore interactions and will result in the collaborative quantification of complex interaction webs as well as in conclusions on plant fitness and ecosystem functioning.
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GERMAN