Broader phenology of pollinator activity and higher plant reproductive success in an urban habitat compared to a rural one

Abstract

Abstract Urban habitat characteristics create environmental filtering of pollinator communities. They also impact pollinating insect phenology through the presence of an urban heat island and the year‐round availability of floral resources provided by ornamental plants. Here, we monitored the phenology and composition of pollinating insect communities visiting replicates of an experimental plant assemblage comprising two species, with contrasting floral traits: Sinapis alba and Lotus corniculatus, whose flowering periods were artificially extended. Plant assemblage replicates were set up over two consecutive years in two different habitats: rural and densely urbanized, within the same biogeographical region (Ile‐de‐France region, France). The phenology of pollination activity, recorded from the beginning (early March) to the end (early November) of the season, differed between these two habitats. Several pollinator morphogroups (small wild bees, bumblebees, honeybees) were significantly more active on our plant sets in the urban habitat compared to the rural one, especially in early spring and autumn. This resulted in different overall reproductive success of the plant assemblage between the two habitats. Over the course of the season, reproductive success of S. alba was always significantly higher in the urban habitat, while reproductive success of L. corniculatus was significantly higher in the urban habitat only during early flowering. These findings suggest different phenological adaptations to the urban habitat for different groups of pollinators. Overall, results indicate that the broadened activity period of pollinating insects recorded in the urban environment could enhance the pollination function and the reproductive success of plant communities in cities.

Keywords

• flowering phenology manipulation
• Lotus corniculatus
• phenology
• plant reproductive success
• plant–pollinator interactions
• pollinator assemblage composition