Vruchtzetting bij het Soldaatje in het natuurreservaat Vrakelberg
(2018) Natuurhistorisch Maandblad — Vol. 107, n° 5, p. 88-91 (2018)
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- Authors
Henneresse, Thomas 
- Abstract
- (en) The Vrakelberg is a nature reserve located in the town of Voerendaal, which harbours a population of Military orchid (Orchis militaris). This population was studied in 2015, in an attempt to clarify the deceptive pollination system in Orchis militaris. Deceptive pollination means that plant individuals manage to attract pollinators by faking the presence of a nectar reward, despite the absence of such a reward for the pollinators. The effect of various factors on fruit set was investigated at the microhabitat scale. The probability of setting fruit was driven by inflorescence length, vegetation height and the density of actually rewarding plant species in the vicinity, whose effect was contingent upon their species richness. Our study demonstrates that generalised food deception, and not Batesian mimicry, is the most likely strategy of pollinator attraction in Orchis militaris. We conclude that this orchid species is dependent on pollination facilitation and hence benefits from the proximity of rewarding plants.
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Citations
Henneresse, T., Merckx, T., & Tyteca, D. (2018). Vruchtzetting bij het Soldaatje in het natuurreservaat Vrakelberg. Natuurhistorisch Maandblad, 107(5), 88-91. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/53097 (Original work published 2018)