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. 2022 Mar;91(3):580-592.
doi: 10.1111/1365-2656.13646. Epub 2021 Dec 23.

Behavioural responses by a bumble bee to competition with a niche-constructing congener

Nick M Rosenberger  1   2 , Marcelo A Aizen  3 , Rachel G Dickson  4   5 , Lawrence D Harder  1
Affiliations

Behavioural responses by a bumble bee to competition with a niche-constructing congener

Nick M Rosenberger et al. J Anim Ecol. 2022 Mar.

Abstract
in English, Spanish

While feeding, foragers can alter their environment. Such alteration constitutes ecological niche construction (ENC) if it enables future benefits for the constructor and conspecific individuals. The environmental modification may also affect non-constructing, bystander species, especially if they share resources with constructor species. If so, ENC could confer the constructor species a competitive advantage by both enhancing its foraging returns and reducing those of bystander species. Expectations - (E1) ENC frequency should vary positively with the recent and current density of the constructor species, and (E2) constructors should use modifications disproportionately. In contrast, bystanders should (E3) experience intensified competition for the affected resource, and (E4) exhibit diverse, possibly mitigating, responses to ENC, depending on opportunity and relative benefits. We investigated these expectations in Argentina for competition for Fuchsia magellanica nectar between an invasive bumble bee Bombus terrestris (terr: putative constructor), which often bites holes at the bases of floral tubes to rob nectar, and native B. dahlbomii (dahl: bystander), which normally accesses Fuchsia nectar through the flower mouth (front visits). Robbing holes constitute ENC, as they persist until the 7-day flowers wilt. The dynamics of the incidence of robbed flowers, abundance of both bees and the number and types of their flower visits (front or robbing) were characterised by alternate-day surveys of plants during 2.5 months. After initially accessing Fuchsia nectar via front visits, terr switched to robbing and its abundance on Fuchsia increased 20-fold within 10 days (E2). Correspondingly, the incidence of robbed flowers varied positively with recent and past terr abundance (E1). In contrast, dahl abundance remained low and varied negatively with the incidence of robbed flowers (E3). When terr ceased visiting Fuchsia, dahl abundance increased sixfold within 10 days (E3), possibly because many dahl previously had avoided competition with terr by feeding on other plant species (E4). While terr was present, dahl on Fuchsia used front visits (tolerance) or used existing robbing holes (adoption: E4). The diverse dahl responses suggest partial compensation for competition with terr. ENC alters competitive asymmetry, favouring constructor species. However, bystander responses can partially offset this advantage, perhaps facilitating coexistence.

Los animales pueden alterar su ambiente como consecuencia del forrajeo. Esta alteración constituye una forma de construcción de nicho ecológico (CNE) cuando la misma promueve beneficios para el constructor y otros individuos de la misma especie. Esta modificación ambiental puede también afectar otras especies no involucradas directamente en la CNE, especialmente cuando comparten recursos con la especie constructora. En este caso, la CNE puede conferir una ventaja competitiva a la especie constructora, incrementado sus beneficios alimenticios en detrimento de los de las especies no constructoras. Expectativas - (E1) La frecuencia de eventos de CNE debería variar positivamente con la densidad presente y pasada de la especie constructora, y (E2) los individuos de la especie constructora deberían usar las modificaciones asociadas a la CNE en forma diferencial. Por el contrario, los individuos de las otras especies que usen el mismo recurso deberían (E3) experimentar una intensificación de la competencia, y (E4) exhibir una diversidad de respuestas, algunas que atenúen las consecuencias negativas de la CNE, lo que va a depender de la oportunidad y de los beneficios relativos. En Argentina, investigamos el cumplimiento de estas expectativas en la competencia por el néctar de Fuchsia magellanica entre el abejorro invasor, Bombus terrestris (terr: la especie constructora), quien frecuentemente agujerea la base de tubos florales para robar néctar, y el abejorro nativo B. dahlbomii (dahl: la especie afectada), quien normalmente accede al néctar de Fuchsia en forma legítima a través de la apertura de la flor (visitas frontales). Los agujeros realizados por terr constituyen un caso de CNE, ya que persisten a lo largo de la vida de la vida de la flor (aprox. 7-day). En este trabajo relevamos la incidencia de flores robadas, la abundancia de las dos especies de abejas, y el número y tipo de sus visitas florales (frontales o de robo) día por medio durante 2.5 meses. Inicialmente terr accedió las flores de Fuchsia frontalmente, pero más tarde cambió su comportamiento convirtiéndose en un robador casi exclusivo a lo largo de un período de 10 días en que su abundancia se incrementó 20 veces (E2). En consecuencia, la incidencia de flores robadas varió positivamente con la abundancia de terr presente y pasada (E1). Por el contrario, la abundancia de dahl fue baja y varió negativamente con la incidencia de flores robadas (E3). En particular, la abundancia de dahl se incrementó seis veces en un período de 10 días una vez que terr cesó de visitar las flores de Fuchsia (E3), posiblemente porque dahl evitó la competencia con terr forrajeando en otras especies de plantas (E4). Cuando terr estuvo presente, dahl visitó las flores de Fuchsia frontalmente (tolerancia) o usó los agujeros existentes (adopción de comportamiento robador: E4). Estas respuestas diversas de dahl sugieren una compensación parcial de los efectos negativos de la competencia con terr. La CNE incrementa la asimetría de la competencia, favoreciendo la especie constructora. Sin embargo, las diferentes respuestas de las especies afectadas pueden compensar parcialmente esta desventaja competitiva, tal vez facilitando la coexistencia.

Keywords: bumble bee; ecological niche construction; exploitation competition; invasive species; nectar robbing; southern South America.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
General effects of an ecological niche constructor on the environment and potential behavioural responses of bystander organisms
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Daily variation of (a) overall flowering by 22 Fuchsia magellanica plants, (b, c) Bombus terrestris and B. dahlbomii abundance (bees per plant per 10‐min observation), (d) the proportion of robbed flowers per plant and (e) the numbers and (f) proportions of nectar‐robbing flower visits by B. terrestris and B. dahlbomii per observation period. Panels b–d depict marginal (±SE) and predicted means (solid line) based on the respective statistical analyses (which did not explicitly include date). Gaps in lines in panels e and f indicate days when no bees of the associated species were observed visiting Fuchsia flowers
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Partial effects on the daily incidence of nectar‐robbed Fuchsia magellanica flowers, including pairwise interactions between the daily past and current total abundances of Bombus terrestris and the total number of open flowers on all study plants. See Tables 1 and S3 for statistical details
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Partial effects on the marginal mean (±SE) numbers of Bombus dahlbomii and B. terrestris visiting Fuchsia magellanica plants during 10‐min surveys, including: (a) the relation of bee presence on study plants to the proportion of robbed flowers; and the relations of observed bee numbers when bees were present to (b) the number of open flowers per plant, (c, d) the total numbers of B. terrestris and B. dahlbomii observed daily on all study plants, (e) the daily proportion of robbed flowers per plant and (f) habitat. See Tables 1 and S4 for statistical details and Figure S2 for additional effects on bee presence
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Partial effects of independent variables on marginal mean (±SE) visitation of Fuchsia magellanica flowers by Bombus dahlbomii and B. terrestris during 10‐min surveys, including: (a) the number of observed flowers per plant; (b) the daily total number of B. terrestris observed on all survey plants; (c) the number of B. dahlbomii observed per‐plant survey; (d) interacting effects of visit type and the proportion of robbed flowers per plant; and (e, f) the interacting effects of visit type and habitat for B. dahlbomii and B. terrestris respectively. For statistical details, see Tables 1 and S6
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