Citizen Science Confirms the Rarity of Fruit Bat Pollination of Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Flowers in Southern Africa
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Poster Advertising 2017 Baobab Blitz
Appendix B. Copy of Blank Form Used for Baobab Blitz (2017)
Interval | Moth Visitors to Tree | Moth Visitors to Flower | Bat Visitors to Tree | Bat Visitors to Flower | Other* Visitors to Tree | Other* Visitors to Flower | Comments |
18:00–18:15 | |||||||
18:15–18:30 | |||||||
18:30–18:45 | |||||||
18:45–19:00 | |||||||
19:00–19:15 | |||||||
19:15–19:30 | |||||||
19:30–19:45 | |||||||
19:45–20:00 | |||||||
20:00–20:15 | |||||||
20:15–20:30 | |||||||
Interval | Moth visitors to tree | Moth visitors to flower | Bat visitors to tree | Bat visitors to flower | Other* visitors to tree | Other* visitors to flower | Comments |
20:30–20:45 | |||||||
20:45–21:00 | |||||||
21:00–21:15 | |||||||
21:15–21:30 | |||||||
21:30–21:45 | |||||||
21:45–22:00 | |||||||
22:00–22:15 | |||||||
22:15–22:30 | |||||||
22:30–22:45 | |||||||
22:45–23:00 | |||||||
Interval | Moth visitors to tree | Moth visitors to flower | Bat visitors to tree | Bat visitors to flower | Other* visitors to tree | Other* visitors to flower | Comments |
23:00–23:15 (optional) | |||||||
23:15–23:30 (optional) | |||||||
23:30–23:45 (optional) | |||||||
23:45–24:00 (optional) |
Appendix C. Baobab Blitz Information Packet
- Torch (with extra batteries)
- ○
- Red torch, if possible
- Chairs
- Cold drinks
- Cell phone camera (to take a photo of your tree and flower on that tree) or a normal camera that you can upload the photo.
- GPS or Smart phone to record your location (lat and long) or the farm name and where the tree is located.
- Clipboard with pen (extra one just in case)
- Datasheets, see attached via email (see BB Datasheet)
- Watch or phone (to record time)
- Other recommendations:
- ○
- Table
- ○
- Insect repellent
- Eat fruit and nectar
- Larger that insectivorous bats (usually)
- Do not echolocate
- Our ears can detect their metallic “ping ping” calls.
- Forage for many hours throughout the night.
- Should land on the flower to drink the nectar from behind the petals.
- Eat insects
- Use echolocation
- Call is above most people’s hearing
- Usually smaller and faster flying than fruit bats.
- Tend to forage most just after sunset and again before sunrise
- Will not land on the flower but might fly fast through the tree chasing an insect.
Appendix D
(a) Moth Visitors to Tree | Estimate | Std. Error | z Value | Pr (>|z|) |
---|---|---|---|---|
(Intercept) = 0 | −0.3373 | 0.5174 | −0.652 | 0.514 |
as.factor (Year) 2017 = 0 | 0.4832 | 0.3218 | 1.502 | 0.133 |
as.factor (Expert) Yes = 0 | 0.5736 | 0.4097 | 1.400 | 0.161 |
as.factor (Weather) Fine = 0 | 0.6001 | 0.3986 | 1.505 | 0.132 |
(b) Moth visitors to flower | ||||
(Intercept) = 0 | −1.9575 | 0.9562 | −2.047 | 0.0406 * |
as.factor (Year) 2017 = 0 | 0.3737 | 0.4953 | 0.755 | 0.4505 |
as.factor (Expert) Yes = 0 | 0.9865 | 0.7280 | 1.355 | 0.1754 |
as.factor (Weather) Fine = 0 | 1.1070 | 0.7165 | 1.545 | 0.1223 |
(c) Bat visitors to tree | ||||
(Intercept) = 0 | −2.6659 | 0.9627 | −2.769 | 0.00562 ** |
as.factor (Year) 2017 = 0 | 0.9878 | 0.5339 | 1.850 | 0.06429 |
as.factor (Expert) Yes = 0 | 1.1892 | 0.7956 | 1.495 | 0.13501 |
as.factor (Weather) Fine = 0 | 0.5044 | 0.6074 | 0.831 | 0.40625 |
(d) Other visitors to tree | ||||
(Intercept) = 0 | −1.5791 | 1.6047 | −0.984 | 0.325 |
as.factor (Year) 2017 = 0 | −1.4977 | 1.0930 | −1.370 | 0.171 |
as.factor (Expert) Yes = 0 | 1.2967 | 1.4412 | 0.900 | 0.368 |
as.factor (Weather) Fine = 0 | 0.9304 | 1.0392 | 0.895 | 0.371 |
(e) Other visitors to flower | ||||
(Intercept) = 0 | −0.8228 | 2.0139 | −0.409 | 0.683 |
as.factor (Year) 2017 = 0 | −1.1185 | 1.1535 | −0.970 | 0.332 |
as.factor (Expert) Yes = 0 | 1.7130 | 1.9606 | 0.874 | 0.382 |
as.factor (Weather) Fine = 0 | 0.1434 | 1.0045 | 0.143 | 0.886 |
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Locality Name | Lat. | Long. | Date | N | Age Range | Weather | Wind | Experience Level (Researchers/Students Present or Absent) | Time Start | Time End | No. Flowers Open | Land Use |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hector and Hazel’s Farm | −22.87 | 29.79 | 6-Nov-16 | 6 | 24 | clear | slight breeze | Present | 18:30 | 23:00 | 27 | cattle and game farm |
Goro | −22.94 | 29.43 | 19-Nov-16 | 3 | 24 | partly cloudy | slight breeze | Present | 18:00 | 21:45 | 55 | game farm |
Mapesu Private Game Reserve | −22.15 | 29.26 | 18-Nov-16 | 4 | 17–38 | rain | strong wind | Absent | 18:00 | 23:00 | 39 | game farm |
The Oaks Village | −24.37 | 30.66 | 18-Nov-16 | 2 | 22–32 | overcast | slight breeze | Absent | 17:30 | 22:30 | 8 | cattle farm |
Skirbeek 73MT | −22.48 | 30.33 | 18-Nov-16 | 1 | 57 | overcast | strong wind | Absent | 18:00 | 22:00 | 4 | game farm |
Mogalakwena Game Reserve | −22.76 | 28.72 | 18-Nov-16 | 7 | 20–42 | overcast | no wind | Present | 18:00 | 21:00 | - | game farm |
Mogalakwena Game Reserve | −22.74 | 28.77 | 19-Nov-16 | 6 | 20–48 | rain | slight breeze | Present | 18:00 | 23:00 | 8 | game farm |
Mmabolela Estates, Farm Tuli, district Maasstroom | −22.70 | 28.26 | 18-Nov-16 | 2 | 68–69 | partly cloudy | strong wind | Present | 19:00 | 22:00 | 21 | game farm |
Chilo Gorge Lodge, Zimbabwe | −21.23 | 32.35 | 25-Nov-16 | 3 | 45–55 | overcast | strong wind | Present | 18:00 | 23:00 | 130 | game farm |
Elgen (Skelmwater Research Plot) | −22.50 | 29.98 | 19-Nov-16 | 3 | 45–64 | partly cloudy | slight breeze | Absent | 18:00 | 23:00 | 35 | game farm |
Safari Lodge, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe | −17.92 | 25.82 | 18-Nov-16 | - | - | - | - | Absent | 18:00 | 22:45 | - | tourist lodge |
Pafuri River Lodge | −22.37 | 31.52 | 19-Nov-16 | 2 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:00 | 23:15 | 200 | game farm | |
Pafuri River Lodge | −22.37 | 31.52 | 20-Nov-16 | 2 | clear | strong wind | Present | 18:00 | 23:00 | 95 | game farm | |
Wallacedale | −22.95 | 29.92 | 3-Dec-16 | 2 | 20–40 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:15 | 23:00 | 74 | homestead |
Mumie 36NT | −22.43 | 30.31 | 24-Nov-17 | 4 | 50–62 | clear | slight breeze | Absent | 18:30 | 23:00 | - | - |
Kineaiv-Smith | −22.87 | 29.81 | 24-Nov-17 | 2 | 30 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:30 | 23:00 | - | - |
Princess Hill-1 | −22.86 | 29.81 | 24-Nov-17 | 2 | 30–40 | overcast | no wind | Absent | 18:15 | 23:15 | - | game farm |
Princess Hill-2 | −22.87 | 29.81 | 24-Nov-17 | 2 | 50–55 | overcast | no wind | Absent | 18:15 | 23:30 | - | game farm |
Venetia Nature Reserve (Faure Camp)) | −22.44 | 33.55 | 15-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:00 | 21:45 | - | nature reserve |
Mapungubwe National Park (Picnic Baobab) | −22.20 | 29.38 | 16-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | overcast | slight breeze | Present | 18:45 | 21:15 | - | world heritage site |
Mapungubwe National Park (Camp Baobab) | −22.24 | 29.42 | 18-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:40 | 21:00 | - | world heritage site |
Venetia Nature Reserve (Venetia Gate) | −22.26 | 29.32 | 23-Nov-17 | 5 | 20–54 | clear | strong breeze | Present | 18:30 | 23:15 | - | nature reserve |
Mapungubwe National Park (Swing Baobab) | −22.20 | 29.37 | 17-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | slight breeze | no wind | Present | 18:30 | 21:00 | - | world heritage site |
Mapungubwe National Park (Camp Baobab) | −22.24 | 29.42 | 23-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | overcast | strong wind | Present | 18:15 | 23:30 | - | world heritage site |
Mapungubwe National Park (Zebra Pan) | −22.19 | 29.41 | 21-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:30 | 24:00 | - | world heritage site |
Venetia Nature Reserve (Faure Camp) | −22.44 | 33.55 | 14-Nov-17 | 6 | 24–54 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:30 | 21:45 | - | nature reserve |
Venetia Nature Reserve (Venetic Gate) | −22.26 | 29.32 | 20-Nov-17 | 3 | 24–30 | clear | no wind | Present | 18:45 | 23:30 | - | nature reserve |
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Taylor, P.J.; Vise, C.; Krishnamoorthy, M.A.; Kingston, T.; Venter, S. Citizen Science Confirms the Rarity of Fruit Bat Pollination of Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Flowers in Southern Africa. Diversity 2020, 12, 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12030106
Taylor PJ, Vise C, Krishnamoorthy MA, Kingston T, Venter S. Citizen Science Confirms the Rarity of Fruit Bat Pollination of Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Flowers in Southern Africa. Diversity. 2020; 12(3):106. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12030106
Chicago/Turabian StyleTaylor, Peter J., Catherine Vise, Macy A. Krishnamoorthy, Tigga Kingston, and Sarah Venter. 2020. "Citizen Science Confirms the Rarity of Fruit Bat Pollination of Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Flowers in Southern Africa" Diversity 12, no. 3: 106. https://doi.org/10.3390/d12030106