The ethics of theft:Reevaluating the impacts of floral larceny on plant reproductive success  

作　　者：Jin-Ru Zhong Xiao-Fang Jin Michael C.Orr Xiao-Qing Li Yong-Deng He Sheng-Wei Wang Qing-Feng Wang Chun-Feng Yang Zhong-Ming Ye 

机构地区：[1]College of Life Science,Wuhan University,Wuhan 430072,China [2]Entomologie,Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart,Stuttgart 70191,Germany [3]Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution,Institute of Zoology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China [4]University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China [5]State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops,Wuhan Botanical Garden,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Wuhan 430074,China

出　　处：《Plant Diversity》2025年第1期148-158,共11页植物多样性(英文版)

基　　金：support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170241,32160054,and 32470241);supported by the Chinese Academy of Science's PIFI Fellowship Initiative(2024PVC0046).

摘　　要：Plants and their interaction partners offer unparalleled views of evolutionary ecology.Nectar larceny,entailing nectar extraction without pollinating,is thought to be an example of a harmful,antagonistic behavior,but the precise consequences of floral larceny on plant reproductive success remain contentious.We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of 153 studies across 120 plant species,using 14 moderators to assess the effects of floral larceny on plant reproductive success and examine the key moderators.We found that floral larceny negatively impacts flower traits,pollinator visitation,pollen deposition,and fruit set,while having a neutral effect on critical female fitness indicators,such as seed set and seed quality,as well as on male fitness.By altering pollinator behavior,floral larceny may reduce geitonogamy,potentially enhancing genetic diversity.Additionally,factors such as pollinator type,plant mating system,and pollen limitation were identified as key moderators of these effects.Our analysis reveals an ultimately neutral effect of floral larceny on plant reproductive success,with potential benefits in certain contexts.These findings suggest that floral larceny plays a complex and multifaceted role within plant-pollinator interactions,facilitating the evolutionary stability and coexistence of floral larcenists and host plants.

关 键 词：Floral larceny Nectar robbing Nectar thief Plant-pollinator interactions Plant reproductive success Indirect effects 

分 类 号：Q948[生物学—植物学]