Frost S K, Frost P G H
FitzPatrick Institute, University of Cape Town, 7700, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Oecologia. 1981 Jul;49(3):379-384. doi: 10.1007/BF00347603.
The role of sunbirds (Nectariniidae) in the pollination ecology of Strelitzia nicolai (Musaceae) was studied for one year in a coastal dune forest in Zululand, South Africa. It was found that S. nicolai produced large quantities of low quality nectar (1.74 j/μl); that nectar production was highest during the day-time; and that the flowers displayed several characteristics attractive to bird-visitors. The flowers were large, conspicuous and provided the birds with a perch, facilitating easy access to the nectar. Flowers were visited by four species of sunbirds: Olive Sunbird Nectarinia olivacea, Grey Sunbird N. veroxii, Black Sunbird N. amethystina, and Collared Sunbird Anthreptes collaris. Sunbirds visited the flowers throughout the year, and apparently cued into changes in the flower angle as an indication of nectar flow rates. Sunbirds perched on the flowers in a manner which effected pollination, the pollen being transferred to the stigma via the birds' feet. Besides the sunbirds, there were other visitors (bushbabies, monkeys and insects) to the flowers, but they did not visit the flowers frequently nor did they appear to be significant pollinators. The high seed set of S. nicolai in the study area attests to the efficacy of the sunbirds as pollinators.
在南非祖鲁兰的一个沿海沙丘森林中，对太阳鸟（花蜜鸟科）在尼古拉鹤望兰（芭蕉科）授粉生态中的作用进行了为期一年的研究。研究发现，尼古拉鹤望兰产生大量低质量的花蜜（1.74焦耳/微升）；花蜜产量在白天最高；花朵呈现出几种吸引鸟类访客的特征。花朵大且显眼，为鸟类提供了栖息处，便于它们获取花蜜。有四种太阳鸟会拜访这些花朵：橄榄太阳鸟、灰太阳鸟、紫晶太阳鸟和领花蜜鸟。太阳鸟全年都会拜访这些花朵，显然会根据花朵角度的变化来判断花蜜的流速。太阳鸟以一种实现授粉的方式栖息在花朵上，花粉通过鸟的脚转移到柱头上。除了太阳鸟，还有其他访客（丛猴、猴子和昆虫）拜访这些花朵，但它们并不经常拜访，似乎也不是重要的传粉者。研究区域内尼古拉鹤望兰的高结实率证明了太阳鸟作为传粉者的有效性。
