POLLINATION, GATHERING NECTAR AND THE DISTRIBUTION OF FLOWER SPECIES

A model of pollination, having one species of bee and several species of flower, is presented. The foraging bee monitors the size of the nec tar standing crops of the various flower species and, using a learning procedure described in the paper, tends to visit more frequently the species with the larger nectar standing crops. The differential visita tion rates affect the relative reproductive success of the flower spec ies. Steady-state flower distributions are derived and it is proved th at such equilibria exist. The model explains some general features fou nd in the pollination market, such as why bees lack innate preferences for certain flower species, the equilibrium allocation of flower reso urces between display and reward, and the conditions that permit decep tive flowers. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited