"Nectaries: Their Location and Significance for Wildlife Explained"
In the world of botany, nectaries - the glands responsible for producing the sweet, sugary substance known as nectar - are often associated with flowers. However, a lesser-known phenomenon known as extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) challenges this notion, as they are found on non-floral parts of plants.
Extrafloral nectaries, located on leaves, petioles, stems, and even unusual parts outside the flower structure, serve a dual ecological role. They attract protective insects, such as ants, bees, and wasps, which in return, defend the plant from herbivores like caterpillars, grasshoppers, and crickets. This mutualistic relationship acts as an indirect plant defence mechanism, recruiting bodyguards that reduce herbivory and increase the plant's survival and reproductive success.
Extrafloral nectaries produce nectar rich in sugars like sucrose, fructose, and glucose, often including trace amino acids. For the insects foraging for this nectar, it provides a valuable, sugar-rich food source, sustaining beneficial insect populations and supporting their survival in local ecosystems.
Tonya Barnett, a gardening enthusiast with 13 years of experience, has transformed her backyard into a cut flower garden. She shares her journey on her YouTube channel, showcasing the benefits of nectar-rich plants in attracting local wildlife.
Extrafloral nectaries are estimated to have evolved independently multiple times across about 21% of plant families. They can show plasticity by increasing nectar production in response to herbivory, suggesting an adaptive defensive strategy modulated by environmental cues. This adaptability highlights the importance of these nectaries in the survival of various plant species.
While nectaries primarily function in attracting pollinators and assisting in seed production and propagation, extrafloral nectaries do not play the same role. Instead, they provide a unique defence mechanism against herbivores, helping plants thrive in diverse environments.
Nectar-rich plants can help diversify backyard spaces and enhance their appeal to local wildlife populations. As we continue to appreciate the beauty and complexity of nature, understanding the role of extrafloral nectaries in plant defence and wildlife support is essential.
References: [1] Jerson, S. A., & Dudley, R. (2003). Extrafloral nectaries: characteristics, functions, and evolution. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics, 34, 531-554. [2] Dudley, R., & Chaney, C. (2004). Extrafloral nectaries and plant defense. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 19(5), 267-273. [3] Gomez, A. J., & Gomez, J. C. (2013). Extrafloral nectaries: evolution, ecology, and biochemistry. Annual Review of Entomology, 58, 463-490.
In the realm of environmental science, extrafloral nectaries, found on various non-floral parts of plants, serve a dual purpose in lifestyle and home-and-garden settings. These nectaries, rich in sugars like sucrose, fructose, and glucose, attract protective insects, thereby creating a symbiotic relationship that defend plants from herbivores, thus improving the survival and reproductive success of these plants. Tonya Barnett, a gardening enthusiast, has leveraged this understanding by cultivating a cut flower garden teeming with nectar-rich plants, attracting local wildlife and showcasing the benefits on her YouTube channel.
