Pollination biology of fruit-bearing hedgerow plants and the role of flower-visiting insects in fruit-set.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

In the UK, the flowers of fruit-bearing hedgerow plants provide a succession of pollen and nectar for flower-visiting insects for much of the year. The fruits of hedgerow plants are a source of winter food for frugivorous birds on farmland. It is unclear whether recent declines in pollinator populations are likely to threaten fruit-set and hence food supply for birds. The present study investigates the pollination biology of five common hedgerow plants: blackthorn (Prunus spinosa), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), dog rose (Rosa canina), bramble (Rubus fruticosus) and ivy (Hedera helix).

Methods

The requirement for insect pollination was investigated initially by excluding insects from flowers by using mesh bags and comparing immature and mature fruit-set w

SUBMITTER: Jacobs JH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2778384 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature