Dispersal of Erythronium grandiflorum pollen by bumblebees: implications for gene flow and reproductive success

Abstract

Used a pollen color polymorphism, restricting attention to the contribution of one pollinator visit. A single flower visit in this species removes most of the available pollen and, therefore, is responsible for a large part of the pollen shadow. By measuring pollen shadows and using the measurements to specify important functional relationships, such as the relation between the amount of pollen presented to a pollinator and the amount subsequently delivered to stigmas, this study shows how the ecological mechanics of pollination determines variation in male reproductive success. -from Authors