Abstract
Co-evolutionary processes have moulded interactions between hummingbirds (Trochilidae) and ornithophilous flowers. Generally, long corollas exclude short-billed trochilids, whereas short corollas allow access for both long- and short-billed species. At La Mucuy, Sierra Nevada National Park, Mérida, Venezuela, we studied interactions between Aphelandra runcinata (Acanthaceae) and its avian pollinators. Of 13 trochilid species reported from this site, only two, Coeligena torquata and C. eos , have bills long enough to allow legitimate access to the nectar of A. runcinata flowers. However, we observed that hummingbirds with much shorter bills were also able to extract nectar and pollinate the flowers. This is due to a reversible compression mechanism in A. runcinata , caused by the pressure exerted by the bird in flight and the physical opposition of the inflorescence. The compression mechanism observed in A. runcinata flowers is a morphological characteristic that provides mutualistic advantages for both the plant and its avian visitors. The spectrum of potential pollinators is increased by giving access to nectar even to species with short or medium-long bills. Moreover, nectar-robbing, a foraging strategy that does not result in pollen transfer common among short-billed trochilids, seems to be reduced.
Abstract from the paper’s OpenAlex record, shown for indexing and research. Copyright remains with the authors or the publisher. Read at the source ↗
The text the model read, with the source record’s inline markup (italics, sub- and superscripts) rendered and its character entities decoded; quote offsets refer to the raw text.
Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Only Coeligena torquata among the reported species, together with C. eos, had bills sufficiently long for legitimate nectar access.
- Taxon
- Coeligena torquata
_-NBII_Image_Gallery-a00189.jpg?width=60)
Coeligena torquatae0 - Interactor
- A. runcinata
Aphelandra runcinatae0other - Outcome
- bills long enough to allow legitimate accesse0
- Qualifier
- Of 13 trochilid speciese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
_-NBII_Image_Gallery-a00189.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Of 13 trochilid species reported from this site, only two, Coeligena torquata and C. eos , have bills long enough to allow legitimate access to the nectar of A. runcinata flowers.”
Claim · model-written summary
C. eos had bills sufficiently long for legitimate nectar access.
- Taxon
- C. eosCoeligena eose0
- Interactor
- A. runcinataAphelandra runcinatae0other
- Outcome
- bills long enough to allow legitimate accesse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Of 13 trochilid species reported from this site, only two, Coeligena torquata and C. eos , have bills long enough to allow legitimate access to the nectar of A. runcinata flowers.”
Claim · model-written summary
Shorter-billed hummingbirds extracted nectar and pollinated Aphelandra flowers.
- Taxon
- Aphelandra runcinataAphelandra runcinatat0
- Interactor
- hummingbirdsTrochilidaee0pollinator
- Outcome
- extract nectar and pollinate the flowerse0
- Qualifier
- much shorter billse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“However, we observed that hummingbirds with much shorter bills were also able to extract nectar and pollinate the flowers.”
t0“Aphelandra runcinata”
Claim · model-written summary
Reversible flower compression results from bird pressure opposed by the inflorescence.
- Taxon
- A. runcinataAphelandra runcinatae0
- Organ / stage
- inflorescencee0
- Interactor
- birde0pollinator
- Outcome
- reversible compression mechanisme0
- Qualifier
- pressure exerted by the bird in flight and the physical opposition of the inflorescencee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“This is due to a reversible compression mechanism in A. runcinata , caused by the pressure exerted by the bird in flight and the physical opposition of the inflorescence.”
Claim · model-written summary
Flower compression provides mutualistic advantages to plant and avian visitors.
- Taxon
- A. runcinataAphelandra runcinatae0
- Interactor
- avian visitorse0pollinator
- Outcome
- mutualistic advantagese0
- Qualifier
- compression mechanisme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The compression mechanism observed in A. runcinata flowers is a morphological characteristic that provides mutualistic advantages for both the plant and its avian visitors.”
Claim · model-written summary
Nectar access for short- and medium-billed species increases the spectrum of potential pollinators.
- Taxon
- Aphelandra runcinataAphelandra runcinatat0
- Interactor
- pollinatorse0pollinator
- Outcome
- spectrum of potential pollinatorse0
- Direction
- increasede0
- Qualifier
- giving access to nectare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The spectrum of potential pollinators is increased by giving access to nectar even to species with short or medium-long bills.”
t0“Aphelandra runcinata”
Claim · model-written summary
Nectar robbing by short-billed trochilids seems reduced.
- Taxon
- Aphelandra runcinataAphelandra runcinatat0
- Interactor
- short-billed trochilidse0other
- Outcome
- nectar-robbinge0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Qualifier
- seems to be reducede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Moreover, nectar-robbing, a foraging strategy that does not result in pollen transfer common among short-billed trochilids, seems to be reduced.”
t0“Aphelandra runcinata”