A data paper recently published in the "Ecology" journal puts forward the first ever database compiling information on phenology and production of pollen, nectar, and sugar in 1612 plant species (755 genera, 133 families). The paper called "Phenology and production of pollen, nectar, and sugar in 1612 plant species from various environments" presents a unique database that provides an opportunity to test hypotheses related to the functioning of food webs, nutrient cycling, plant ecology, pollinator ecology and conservation.

Photo: Bumblebee on a purple flower

The study focuses on  the collection of detailed data on the pollen, nectar, and sugar production per unit area and the flowering phenology of plants. The authors, amongst whom B-GOOD researchers Michał Filipiak and Elżbieta Ziółkowska from the Jagiellonian University in Poland, compiled this database to allow for precise calculations of the amounts of  nectar,  pollen  and  energy  provided by  plants  and  available  to  consumers  in  the considered  flora  or  ecosystem  on  a  daily  basis  throughout  the  year.

By  extracting 103 parameters related to the traits of plant species and geographical and environmental factors geographical and environmental factors from the available literature, the research team worked to estimate the contribution of plants to the functioning of food webs via the flow of energy and nutrients through the soil-plant-nectar/pollen-consumer pathway.

Even though the data were obtained from various, mostly European, pedoclimatic zones,  they are representative of the whole continent and may be used as a reference  for  plant  communities  occurring  on  continents  other  than  Europe.  Тhe database allows the consideration of differences in the production of resources by a single plant species growing in different communities.

Read the full article here.