Abstract

Buzz pollination encompasses the evolutionary convergence of specialized floral morphologies and pollinator behaviour in which bees use vibrations (floral buzzes) to remove pollen. Floral buzzes are one of several types of vibrations produced by bees using their thoracic muscles. Here I review how bees can produce these different types of vibrations and discuss the implications of this mechanistic understanding for buzz pollination. I propose that bee buzzes can be categorized according to their mode of production and deployment into: (i) thermogenic, which generate heat with little mechanical vibration; (ii) flight buzzes which, combined with wing deployment and thoracic vibration, power flight; and (iii) non-flight buzzes in which the thorax vibrates but the wings remain mostly folded, and include floral, defence, mating, communication, and nest-building buzzes. I hypothesize that the characteristics of non-flight buzzes, including floral buzzes, can be modulated by bees via modification of the biomechanical properties of the thorax through activity of auxiliary muscles, changing the rate of activation of the indirect flight muscles, and modifying flower handling behaviours. Thus, bees should be able to fine-tune mechanical properties of their floral vibrations, including frequency and amplitude, depending on flower characteristics and pollen availability to optimize energy use and pollen collection.

中文翻译：

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蜜蜂如何以及为什么会嗡嗡作响？蜂鸣授粉的意义

摘要

蜂鸣授粉包括特殊花卉形态和授粉行为的进化融合，其中蜜蜂使用振动（花蜂鸣声）去除花粉。花的嗡嗡声是蜜蜂使用胸肌产生的几种振动之一。在这里，我回顾了蜜蜂如何产生这些不同类型的振动，并讨论了这种机械理解对蜂鸣授粉的影响。我建议蜂鸣器可以根据它们的生产和部署方式分类为：（i）产热，产生热量，机械振动很小；(ii) 飞行嗡嗡声，结合机翼展开和胸振，动力飞行；(iii) 非飞行嗡嗡声，其中胸部振动但翅膀大部分保持折叠状态，包括花卉、防御、交配、交流、和筑巢的嗡嗡声。我假设蜜蜂可以通过辅助肌肉的活动改变胸部的生物力学特性、改变间接飞行肌肉的激活率和改变花卉处理来调节非飞行嗡嗡声的特征，包括花卉嗡嗡声。行为。因此，蜜蜂应该能够根据花卉特征和花粉可用性微调其花卉振动的机械特性，包括频率和振幅，以优化能量使用和花粉收集。改变间接飞行肌肉的激活率，并改变花的处理行为。因此，蜜蜂应该能够根据花卉特征和花粉可用性微调其花卉振动的机械特性，包括频率和振幅，以优化能量使用和花粉收集。改变间接飞行肌肉的激活率，并改变花的处理行为。因此，蜜蜂应该能够根据花卉特征和花粉可用性微调其花卉振动的机械特性，包括频率和振幅，以优化能量使用和花粉收集。