<p>In this thesis, I combined comparative and experimental approaches to examine selection on reproductive traits, and population differentiation in the insect-pollinated, outcrossing, perennial herb <i>Arabidopsis lyrata</i>. More specifically, I (1) determined whether selection on flowering phenology and floral display can be attributed to interactions with pollinators and herbivores, (2) examined whether population differentiation in flowering phenology and floral display is correlated with current selection on these traits, and (3) tested for local adaptation from contrasting environments in Europe.</p><p>A field experiment conducted in a Swedish population demonstrated, that interactions with pollinators may markedly affect selection on both floral display and phenology of flowering. In an alpine population in Norway, grazing damage to inflorescences strongly influenced selection on floral display. The results suggest that variation in the abundance of pollinators and herbivores should contribute to spatio-temporal variation in selection on flowering phenology and floral display in <i>A. lyrata</i>. </p><p>A common-garden experiment showed that flowering phenology and floral display vary among Scandinavian populations of <i>A. lyrata</i>. For some traits patterns of population differentiation were consistent with differences in the direction and strength of phenotypic selection determined in comparisons (a) between an alpine population in Norway and a coastal population in Sweden, and (b) among coastal populations in Sweden. This suggests that current selection contributes to the maintenance of genetic differentiation in these traits.</p><p>Adaptive differentiation among populations was examined in a reciprocal transplant experiment that included populations from three contrasting environments, alpine Norway, coastal Sweden and lowland, continental Germany. The experiment provided evidence for local adaptation, and indicated that populations have diverged in traits affecting plant establishment and early growth.</p>

Echiochilon, Ogastemma and Sericostoma are revised resulting in the recognition of 15 species of Echiochilon and one Ogastemma species. Several species are placed in synonymy and three new species are described, E. baricum, E. callianthum and E. cyananthum. The single species of Sericostoma is shown to be nested within Echiochilon. The plastid atpB gene was sequenced for Echiochilon and Ogastemma from the Old World and Antiphytum from the New World, plus for a selection of 33 other Boraginaceae taxa. They were analysed together with selected outgroup taxa to give a framework of the tribes of Boraginoideae. The analysis gave support for establishing the new tribe Echiochileae for Antiphytum, Echiochilon and Ogastemma, and for merging the traditionally accepted tribe Eritrichieae with Cynoglosseae. The ITS region was sequenced for all but one species of Echiochilon and for representatives of Antiphytum and Ogastemma. Phylogenetic analysis of Echiochilon revealed that the strongly zygomorphic-flowered species form a paraphyletic group. The morphological data gave results fairly congruent with the ITS phylogeny. Biogeographic interpretations of the ITS and atpB phylogenies indicated a trans-Atlantic dispersal of Antiphytum as the most plausible explanation to the Old/New World disjunction. Analyses using DIVA (Dispersal Vicariance Analysis) of the distributions of the Echiochilon species indicated an ancestor to Echiochilon with a wide distribution over northern Africa and Arabia to India.

Natural selection mediated by pollinators has influenced the evolution of floral diversity of the flowering plants (angiosperms). The scope of this thesis was to study: 1) phenotypic selection, 2) mating systems, and 3) floral shifts involved in plant speciation. Model plant species were Platanthera bifolia and P. chlorantha (Orchidaceae). These orchids are moth-pollinated, strictly co-sexual (bisexual flowers), and produce a spike that displays 10-20 white flowers. I explored the influence of characters on plant fitness by using multiple linear regressions. Pollen removal (male fitness) and fruit set (female fitness) increased with more flowers per plant in three P. bifolia populations. There was selection towards longer spurs in a dry year when average spur length was shorter than in normal-wet years. Female function was sensitive to drought, which enabled an application of the male function hypothesis of floral evolution (Bateman's principle). The results show that selection may vary between populations, years, and sex-functions. I examined inbreeding by estimating levels of geitonogamy (self-pollination between flowers of an individual) with an emasculation method in two P. bifolia populations. Geitonogamy did not vary with inflorescence size. Levels of geitonogamy was 20-40% in the smaller, but non-significant in the larger population. This may relate to lower number of possible mates and pollinator activity in the smaller population. Platanthera bifolia exhibits the ancestral character state of tongue-attachment of pollinia on the pollinator. Its close relative P. chlorantha attaches its pollinia onto the pollinator's eyes. To explore the mechanism of a floral shift, pollination efficiency and speed was compared between the two species. The results showed no differences in pollination efficiency, but P. chlorantha had faster pollen export and import. Efficiency of pollination in terms of speed may cause floral shifts, and thus speciation.

In this thesis, I combined comparative and experimental approaches to examine selection on reproductive traits, and population differentiation in the insect-pollinated, outcrossing, perennial herb Arabidopsis lyrata. More specifically, I (1) determined whether selection on flowering phenology and floral display can be attributed to interactions with pollinators and herbivores, (2) examined whether population differentiation in flowering phenology and floral display is correlated with current selection on these traits, and (3) tested for local adaptation from contrasting environments in Europe. A field experiment conducted in a Swedish population demonstrated, that interactions with pollinators may markedly affect selection on both floral display and phenology of flowering. In an alpine population in Norway, grazing damage to inflorescences strongly influenced selection on floral display. The results suggest that variation in the abundance of pollinators and herbivores should contribute to spatio-temporal variation in selection on flowering phenology and floral display in A. lyrata. A common-garden experiment showed that flowering phenology and floral display vary among Scandinavian populations of A. lyrata. For some traits patterns of population differentiation were consistent with differences in the direction and strength of phenotypic selection determined in comparisons (a) between an alpine population in Norway and a coastal population in Sweden, and (b) among coastal populations in Sweden. This suggests that current selection contributes to the maintenance of genetic differentiation in these traits. Adaptive differentiation among populations was examined in a reciprocal transplant experiment that included populations from three contrasting environments, alpine Norway, coastal Sweden and lowland, continental Germany. The experiment provided evidence for local adaptation, and indicated that populations have diverged in traits affecting plant establishment and early growth.

The objective of this study was to characterize the wild bee fauna of a managed mixed-grass prairie in southwestern Manitoba. Weekly sampling using two methods, sweep-netting and bee bowls, was conducted over two years (2005-2006) at three sites within the Yellow Quill Mixed-grass Prairie Preserve. Spatial and seasonal patterns in diversity indices, taxonomic composition and ecological composition of the bee fauna were identified and investigated in relation to sampling method, environmental conditions, and floral resource availability. A total of 7014 individual bees representing five families and 100 species were collected. Numerically, social nesters from the genera Lasioglossum and Bombus dominated, while mining species of Andrena represented the greatest species richness. Observed spatial and seasonal patterns in the abundance, diversity and composition of the bee community were strongly modified by sampling method, resource limitation in the second year and the presence of the exotic invasive plant leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). / October 2007

This thesis presents results from a two part, prospective study using honey collected from Guelph and surrounding area in southwestern Ontario. The first part determined the antibacterial of honey by collecting 26 samples of honey over two summers (2011-2012) and conducting microbroth and agar dilution assays and comparing the results to those of the criterion standard, Medihoney™ (100% manuka honey paste). Some honey samples from southwestern Ontario had antibacterial activity that was not significantly different from that of Medihoney™. The second part evaluated the effects of storage and gamma irradiation on the antibacterial activity of highly antibacterial honeys. It was found that storage for 8 months at 4°C and -20°C reduced the antibacterial activity of honey. The antibacterial activity of honey was not altered after gamma irradiation. / Pet Trust Fund

The objective of this study was to characterize the wild bee fauna of a managed mixed-grass prairie in southwestern Manitoba. Weekly sampling using two methods, sweep-netting and bee bowls, was conducted over two years (2005-2006) at three sites within the Yellow Quill Mixed-grass Prairie Preserve. Spatial and seasonal patterns in diversity indices, taxonomic composition and ecological composition of the bee fauna were identified and investigated in relation to sampling method, environmental conditions, and floral resource availability. A total of 7014 individual bees representing five families and 100 species were collected. Numerically, social nesters from the genera Lasioglossum and Bombus dominated, while mining species of Andrena represented the greatest species richness. Observed spatial and seasonal patterns in the abundance, diversity and composition of the bee community were strongly modified by sampling method, resource limitation in the second year and the presence of the exotic invasive plant leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula).

The objective of this study was to characterize the wild bee fauna of a managed mixed-grass prairie in southwestern Manitoba. Weekly sampling using two methods, sweep-netting and bee bowls, was conducted over two years (2005-2006) at three sites within the Yellow Quill Mixed-grass Prairie Preserve. Spatial and seasonal patterns in diversity indices, taxonomic composition and ecological composition of the bee fauna were identified and investigated in relation to sampling method, environmental conditions, and floral resource availability. A total of 7014 individual bees representing five families and 100 species were collected. Numerically, social nesters from the genera Lasioglossum and Bombus dominated, while mining species of Andrena represented the greatest species richness. Observed spatial and seasonal patterns in the abundance, diversity and composition of the bee community were strongly modified by sampling method, resource limitation in the second year and the presence of the exotic invasive plant leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula).

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DissFQM.pdf: 973806 bytes, checksum: e915584ac61462d2e8ef3840ece7c9a9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-02-25 / Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos / The Cerrado Domain occupied originally 23% of the Brazilian territory (ca. 2 million km2), especially in the Central Plateau, being the second largest phytogeographic province of Brazil. The cerrado vegetation is not uniform in physiognomy, ranging from grassland to tall woodland, but most of its physiognomies lie within the range defined as tropical savanna. Is estimated that 3,000 to 7,000 vascular plant species occur in this vegetation type, from which 1,000 to 2,000 belong to the woody component. Different authors have attempted to use reproductive features to explain the general patterns of diversity and community structure found in tropical woodlands with the underlying idea that plant diversity and spatial distribution is dependent on reproductive processes. Studies on the reproductive biology of cerrado plant species have shown a great diversity of pollination systems, similar to those found in Neotropical forests. The data emerging for the reproductive biology of plants have important consequences for conservation and understanding of the organization of cerrado communities. We sampled five cerrado fragments in the Brazilian Central Plateau, in which we sampled woody individuals. Using the floristic data of all our field trips, we sampled 2,280 individuals, representing 121 species and 38 families. The richest families were Fabaceae and Myrtaceae, and Davilla elliptica A. St-Hill and Myrcia bella Triana were the best represented species. Most species presented open flowers, with diurnal anthesis, pale colors and with pollen as floral reward. In the cerrado vegetation, species with flowers visited mainly by bees and small insects were the main groups ecologically related to the pollination. Of the 121 species, 65 were pollinated mainly by bees; 30, by small insects; 15, by moths; five, by bats; three, by beetles; two, by hummingbirds; and one, by wind. The ordination analysis of floral characteristics and plant species showed that there was a grouping of species with some pollination systems, for which inferences based on floral characteristics are recommended, such as the species pollinated by bats, moths, and birds. On the other hand, for the species pollinated mainly by bees and small insects, these inferences are not recommended due their great dispersion throughout ordination axes and large overlapping. These dispersion and overlapping occurred probably due the absence of specificity between plants and pollinators. For four of the five pollination systems with at least ten individuals, we found no significant variation in relation to distance from edge, except for plants pollinated by beetles, for which there was a decrease in the frequency to toward the fragment interior. Similarly, we only found significant variation in relation to the height for plants pollinated by bats, for which there was an increase of the frequency with the height of the trees. In general, we found no horizontal and vertical variations in the pollination systems, contrary to what was found in forests and, probably, as consequence of the more open physiognomy of the cerrado fragments. / O Domínio do Cerrado ocupava originalmente cerca de 23% do território brasileiro (aproximadamente 2 milhões de km2), especialmente no Planalto Central, sendo a segunda maior província fitogeográfica do Brasil. A vegetação de cerrado não é uniforme na sua fisionomia, variando desde campo limpo a cerradão, mas a maior parte das fisionomias se enquadra na definição de savana . É estimado que ocorra de 3.000 a 7.000 espécies de plantas vasculares nesse tipo de vegetação, das quais de 1.000 a 2.000 espécies pertencem ao componente arbustivoarbóreo. Diferentes autores tentaram usar características reprodutivas para explicar os padrões gerais de diversidade e estrutura de comunidade encontrados em florestas tropicais, com a idéia de que a diversidade das plantas e a distribuição espacial são dependentes de processos reprodutivos. Estudos na biologia reprodutiva de espécies de planta de cerrado mostraram uma grande diversidade de sistemas de polinização, semelhantes àqueles encontrados em florestas neotropicais. Os dados que emergem para a biologia reprodutiva de plantas têm conseqüências importantes para conservação e entendimento da organização das comunidades de cerrado. Amostramos cinco fragmentos de cerrado sensu stricto no Planalto Central brasileiro, em que amostramos os indivíduos arbustivo-arbóreos. Usando os dados florísticos de todas as nossas coletas, nós amostramos 2.280 indivíduos, representando 121 espécies e 38 famílias. As famílias mais ricas foram Fabaceae e Myrtaceae, sendo Davilla elliptica A. St-Hill e Myrcia bella Triana as espécies mais bem representadas. A maioria das espécies apresentou flores abertas, com antese diurna, cores claras e pólen como recompensa floral. Na vegetação de cerrado, as espécies com flores visitadas principalmente por abelhas e também pelos insetos pequenos formaram os principais grupos ecologicamente relacionados com a polinização. Das 121 espécies, 65 foram polinizadas principalmente por abelhas; 30 por insetos pequenos; 15 por mariposas; cinco por morcegos; três por besouros; dois por beija-flores e um pelo vento. A análise de ordenação dos caracteres florais e das espécies vegetais mostrou que houve um agrupamento entre espécies com alguns sistemas de polinização, para os quais inferências baseadas em caracteres florais são recomendadas, como as espécies polinizadas por morcegos, mariposas e aves. Já com relação às espécies polinizadas principalmente por abelhas e insetos pequenos, essas inferências baseadas em caracteres florais não são recomendadas devido à grande dispersão e sobreposição entre essas duas classes. A grande dispersão e sobreposição das classes de abelhas e insetos pequenos ocorreram provavelmente devido à ausência de especificidade nas relações planta-polinizador. Para quatro dos cinco sistemas de polinização com pelo menos dez indivíduos, nós não encontramos nenhuma variação significativa em relação à distância da borda do fragmento, exceto para as plantas polinizadas por besouros, para as quais houve uma diminuição na freqüência em direção ao interior do fragmento. De maneira semelhante, encontramos variação significativa em relação à altura somente para plantas polinizadas por morcegos, para as quais houve um aumento da freqüência com a altura das árvores. Em geral, não encontramos variações horizontais e verticais nos sistemas de polinização, ao contrário do que foi encontrado em florestas, provavelmente, como conseqüência da fisionomia mais aberta dos fragmentos de cerrado.

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No. of bitstreams: 1 JaciaraSP_DISSERT.pdf: 2270128 bytes, checksum: 3ed201108d97d3b3c22c5679daa6908d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-04 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The abundance of flowering plants around the nests shapes the nest-internal and nest-external activities of social bee colonies. In addition to limiting the quantity of resources collected, the availability of floral resources in the environment may influence the distance that foragers have to fly in order to collect food. With decreasing abundance of flowering plants, bees more likely visit distant resources and, consequently, increase their flight range in search for new food sources. The semiarid region in north-eastern Brazil, the Caatinga, is characterized through a short rainy season with a high availability of floral resources on the one hand, and, on the other hand, through an extended dry season during which only few tree species are in bloom. In face of this striking difference concerning the availability of floral resources in the course of the year in this region, the aim of the present study was to assess the time that foragers of Melipona subnitida (Apidae, Meliponini) need to collect food (nectar and pollen) during times of high and low abundance of flowering plants. We investigated the time spent by foragers to collect floral resources in three distinct landscapes of the Brazilian north-east: an urban area and an area with natural caatinga vegetation, both at Mossoró/RN, as well as a high-altitude humid forest enclave at Martins/RN. During the study (July of 2015 to August of 2016), we counted monthly the number of plant species in bloom in each study location. During one day in each month, we measured at each study location the foraging times of bees, marked previously for individual identification, from three colonies of M. subnitida, marking the exit and return times between 05h00 and 08h00. Additionally, we identified the respective resource collected (nectar or pollen) and determined the plant species visited by the individuals through analysis of their corbicula pollen loads or the pollen on their bodies. Our results indicate that the quantity of plant species around the nests had an impact on the time the bees spent for food collection. With decreasing availability of floral resources, the bees spent more time foraging. This implies a greater energy expenditure for bee in the absence of resources near the nest and bee will have to move to distant areas / A disponibilidade de recursos florais ao redor dos ninhos molda as atividades tanto internas como externas das colônias de abelhas sociais. Além de limitar a quantidade de recursos coletados, a disponibilidade de recursos florais no ambiente pode influenciar na distância percorrida pelas abelhas forrageiras durante a coleta de alimento. À medida que os recursos florais se tornam escassos, as abelhas são mais propensas a usar recursos mais distantes e, consequentemente, expandem sua distância de voo em busca de novas fontes florais. A região semiárida do nordeste brasileiro, a Caatinga, possui uma breve estação chuvosa com alta disponibilidade de recursos florais e, em contraste, uma estação seca com apenas algumas espécies arbóreas em floração. Considerando o contraste na disponibilidade de recursos florais ao longo do ano nessa região, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o tempo que as abelhas forrageiras da abelha Melipona subnitida gastam na coleta de alimento (néctar e pólen) durante os períodos com alta e baixa riqueza de plantas em floração. Foi investigado o tempo que as abelhas forrageiras gastam para coletar recursos florais em três paisagens do nordeste brasileiro: uma área urbana, uma área com vegetação natural de caatinga, ambas em Mossoró/RN e um Brejo de Altitude, em Martins/RN. Durante o estudo (junho de 2015 a agosto de 2016) foi registrado mensalmente o número de espécies de plantas em floração em cada ambiente. Mensalmente (um dia a cada mês), foi cronometrado o tempo de forrageamento de abelhas previamente marcadas para identificação individual, provenientes de três colônias de M. subnitida em cada local de estudo, registrando os horários de saída e entrada de abelhas forrageiras, no período entre 05:00 h e 08:00 h da manhã. Além disso, o respectivo recurso coletado (néctar ou pólen) foi identificado por meio da análise do pólen nas corbículas ou no corpo dos indivíduos. Os resultados indicam que a quantidade de recursos florais disponível ao redor dos ninhos influenciou o tempo gasto na coleta de alimento. Quanto menor a disponibilidade de recursos maior foi o tempo gasto pelas abelhas durante o forrageamento. Isso implica em um maior gasto energético para abelha, pois na ausência de recursos próximos ao ninho a abelha terá que se deslocar para áreas distantes / 2018-03-27