POLLINATOR GROOMING BEHAVIOR ALTERS POLLEN LANDSCAPES ON BEES’ BODIES AND INCREASES POLLEN CARRYOVER TO OTHER FLOWERS

Pollen participates both as the carrier of male gametes in the reproduction of flowering plants and as a key resource exploited by floral visitors, especially bees. Pollinator behavior significantly alters the patterns of pollen removal and deposition, often called pollen fates. To date, few theoretical investigations have attempted to jointly model patterns of pollen transfer and pollinator behavior, and empirical studies are restricted to species to which pollen movement can be tracked. Here we use a spatially explicit agent-based modeling approach, to determine how bee grooming behavior may alter pollen fates and affect plant reproduction. Specifically, we asked whether pollen mixing and removal during pollen grooming may change the “pollen landscape” on a bee’s body consequently affecting both pollen export by the anthers and deposition onto stigmas. Our model shows that both mixing and removal behaviors restructure the “pollen landscape” on the bee’s body, increasing pollen carryover (deposition in consecutive visits), and increasing pollen diversity (number of pollen donors) onto stigmas in sequential flower visits. Our results counterintuitively show that pollen grooming may have a positive effect on both male and female finesses during plant reproduction.