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Abstract
Abstract The massive post-fire flowering of Sinningia elatior (Gesneriaceae) was examined in an area of Cerrado (Brazilian savanna). To study the reproductive system, pollination tests were conducted in the field. Individuals of S. elatior were found isolated or grouped in the area, the orange to reddish flowers are odorless and tubular. Despite being a protandrous species, S. elatior is self-compatible with spontaneous self-pollination, without apomixis. The male phase lasted two days whereas the female lasted three days. The caloric reward per flower was estimated in 40.8 cal ± 4.2 (n = 20). The massive post-fire flowering of this species provided a large, episodic supply of nectar to nine hummingbirds’ species and 16 insects’ species. While all hummingbirds acted as pollinators, insects were only recorded as nectar/pollen thieves. The S. elatior population offered around 23 Kcal, supplying the energetic needs of approximately two to four hummingbirds per day. Post-fire massive flowering is rare and unpredictable in the Cerrado. Therefore, the fire regime acts shaping the flowering dynamics of some species, producing mosaics of temporary special offers of floral resources that affect not only the foraging dynamics of pollinators but also the crossing patterns of the plant species.
Highlights
Fire is considered one of the major ecological disturbances in several ecosystems that can occur in approximately 70% of natural area worldwide (Heringer & Jacques 2001; Neves & Conceição 2010; Gonçalves et al 2011; Sherman et al 2012)
We described the reproductive biology of S. elatior as well as evaluated the nectar availability and its floral visitors
Sinningia elatior had annual flowering with only one cycle per year and its blooming period extended ca. 7 months from November 2002 to May 2003
Summary
Fire is considered one of the major ecological disturbances in several ecosystems that can occur in approximately 70% of natural area worldwide (Heringer & Jacques 2001; Neves & Conceição 2010; Gonçalves et al 2011; Sherman et al 2012). Several species exhibit subterranean organs such as rhizomes, bulbs, soboles, and xylopodia that are protected underground (Appezzato-da-Glória 2003) Some of those organs can sprout again rapidly within few days after the fire, with many plant species displaying an intense flowering afterward (Miranda et al 2002; Miranda & Sato 2005; Conceição & Orr 2012; Araújo et al 2013; Conceição et al 2013). The massive post-fire flowering has been observed in several species there are no detailed records of plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae, which encompasses some terrestrial herbs with conspicuous tubers that allow the survival in adverse seasons (Weber et al 2013) This family is comprised of around 140 genera and 3,500 species distributed predominantly in the tropics (Weber 2004). Most of the species occur in southeastern Brazil (Perret et al 2001, 2003; Araújo et al 2015)
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