为了探讨榕树隐头果的发育期、性别、大小等外部特征对传粉榕小蜂选择的影响,采取人为控制雌花期的方法,对鸡嗉子榕(Ficus sermicordata)及其传粉榕小蜂(Ceratosolen gravelyi)的选择行为进行研究。结果表明,在隐头花序发育到雌花期后,如果阻止传粉小蜂进入,隐头果会继续生长。直径较小的雌果和雄果的进蜂量较多,且在雌雄果同时存在时,小蜂仍然会选择进入雌果,但进蜂量显著低于雄果。小蜂优先选择进入雌花期前期的隐头花序,雌雄果皆有此特点。对于相同发育期的隐头果,果径和进蜂量呈正相关关系,说明对于相同发育期的隐头果,小蜂更倾向于进入较大的隐头果。因此,真正控制小蜂行为的是隐头花序所处的发育期,以及不同发育期所产生的化学挥发物,而非隐头果直径大小。这为进一步研究榕-蜂系统的稳定机制提供依据。
The interaction between pollinating ifg wasps (Agaonidae) and their host ifg trees (Ficus) is a striking example of an obligate pollination mutualism. Successful pollination of ifg trees depends on a speciifc species of ifg wasp managing to ifnd ifgs of the correct host plant, at their correct stage of development. Encounters between receptive ifgs and their pollinators are attained by ifgs emitting species-speciifc volatile chemicals to attract their ifg wasps. However, whether and how the choice of ifg wasps can be inlfuenced by the characteristics of receptive figs are still controversial. The female phase of Fiucs sermicordata was deemed by whether fig wasps were willing to enter ifgs, the different developmental phase of male and female ifgs in receptivity were acquired at the same time by preventing ifgs from being pollinated by ifg wasps, and the diameter of ifgs was also measured to examined how fig wasps preferences can be reflected by the size, developmental phase and gender
