Southern-Summer School on Mathematical Biology

In nature, ecosystems are full of ecological interactions. The ecological interactions could occur between two or more species and will be an interchange of services or resources between them. The outcome of ecological interactions can be positive, neutral or negative for each of the involved species. The combination of the outcome for each species is how we classify the type of ecological interaction. For instance, mutualism are interactions in which all interacting partners benefit from the interaction like seed dispersal and others. But, when one species benefit, as a predator, and the other species has a loss, as the prey, this is an antagonism.

Pollination is usually thought as a mutualistic interaction. The reason is because, most plants to successfully reproduce needs to transfer pollen from its own flowers to other's individuals flowers, and the animals do this in the pollination process. On the other hand, animals can get rewards (as nectar or pollen) when they visit the flower, achieving food. In this scenario, both the flower and the pollinator gain from the pollination process. However, relationship are more complicated. Interactions are not happening isolated. Some animals can cheat, having the resource by not proper ways. Some bees, for example, are able to cut a hole in the side of the flower large enough to access the nectar.

Floral visitors could appropriate from this interaction to obtain food without providing pollination service (nectar robbers). Ecological interactions are one of the most important processes structuring ecosystems.

Plant-pollinator-robber interactions can be complex. Even though, robbers will always benefit from the interaction, plants and pollinators could be positively, negatively or remain unaffected by interacting with robbers. Nectar robbers are costly to plants as plants produce pollen and nectar but do not have pollination on the other hand. Nectar robbers could damage ovary or other structures of the flowers, or could else interact aggressively with the pollinators, or make the robbed flowers unattractive to pollinators. However, néctar robbing could indirectly affect plant reproduction, through pollinators behaviour or frequency of visitation, bringing negative or positive consequences for the plant.

Varma & Sino (2019) observed that the behaviour of the pollinator could change because of the presence of cheaters, indicating a higher foraging efficiency of pollinators. Yanwen et al (2007) proposed that the change in pollinator behaviour could improve pollen flow and out-crossing. However, the author could not be able to insert how population dynamics could modulate the intensity of the mechanisms between these interactions and what will define if it is a mutualism or an antagonism.

Comprehend the interplay between distinct interacting's partners could allow one to understand the underlying mechanism that regulates interaction species dynamics.