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Las Flores Acústicas De Plantas Polinizadas Por Murciélagos

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Las Flores Acústicas De Plantas Polinizadas Por Murciélagos Desde el Herbario CICY 8: 151–155 (06/Octubre/2016) Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C. http://www.cicy.mx/sitios/desde_herbario/ ISSN: 2395-8790 Las flores acústicas de plantas polinizadas por murciélagos KAERI YUKEI JIMÉNEZ DOMÍNGUEZ Herbario CICY, Unidad de Recursos Naturales, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C. (CICY). Calle 43, No. 130 x 32 y 34, Col. Chuburná de Hidalgo, 97205, Mérida, Yucatán, México. [email protected] Las flores de muchas especies de plantas son visitadas y polinizadas por murciélagos que se alimentan de néctar. Para encontrar nuevas flores, los murciélagos se guían por su sofisticado sistema de ecolocación y su sentido del olfato. Existen excepcionales casos de plantas que han evolucionado flores con pétalos u hojas modificadas, las cuales reflejan intensamente los ultrasonidos emitidos por los murciélagos para facilitar su detección. Palabras clave: Acústica, ecolocalización, ecología, murciélagos, polinización. Las plantas presentan distintivas fragan- permite usar las firmas acústicas para la cias y llamativos colores florales, que fun- navegación y reconocer fuentes de ali- cionan como atrayentes a sus polinizado- mento de otros objetos (Yovel et al., res, como las abejas, aves y mariposas 2011). (Spaethe et al., 2001). Es menos conocido Se han registrado, en diferentes espe- el hecho de que las plantas también pre- cies de plantas, estructuras florales y ve- sentan estructuras especializadas que getativas reflectoras de ultrasonido. Estas atraen a otro importante grupo de polini- sofisticadas señales acústicas han evolu- zadores, que para orientarse y forrajear en cionado para diferentes propósitos, dos de busca de flores, utilizan principalmente la los cuales se expondrán a continuación: ecolocación: los murciélagos. Los murciélagos utilizan la ecoloca- Marcgravia evenia Krug & Urb. ción, produciendo con su lengua de mane- (Marcgraviaceae) ra rítmica, chasquidos agudos (ultrasoni- La planta trepadora que crece en las dos) durante su vuelo (Yovel et al., 2011). selvas de Cuba, Marcgravia evenia es una Cuando el sonido incide en un objeto só- especie rara, con una distribución irregu- lido, se forma un eco, el cual es reflejado lar debido a su baja abundancia, por lo o dispersado en diferentes direcciones de- que atraer a los murciélagos polinizadores pendiendo del tamaño y la geometría del desde largas distancias es crucial para su objeto (fenómeno conocido como refle- reproducción. Las especies de la familia xión). El eco que retorna del objeto, trans- Marcgraviaceae presentan polinización mite información al murciélago referente zoógama (por colibríes, murciélagos y a las características físicas (tamaño, mamíferos trepadores), la mayoría de las forma, textura, ángulo, profundidad, dis- especies despliegan adaptaciones a la qui- tancia, etc.), que le confieren una distin- ropterofília (polinización por murciéla- tiva y única “firma acústica”. La clasifica- gos) o pueden reproducirse por autogamia ción de los ecos es esencial para la vida (la flor se autopoliniza con su propio po- diaria de los murciélagos, por ejemplo, les len) (Dressler, 2000). En esta especie a Editor responsable: Ivón M. Ramírez Morillo 151 Desde el Herbario CICY 8: 151–155 (06/Octubre/2016) Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C. http://www.cicy.mx/sitios/desde_herbario/ ISSN: 2395-8790 Figura 1A. Inflorescencia de Marcgravia evenia. a) Hoja ecoacústica. b) Racimo umbeliforme de flores. c) Nectarios en forma de copa. B. Murciélago alimentándose de los nectarios y polinizando las flores de M. evenia. (Fotografías: A. Ralph Simon. B. Merlin D. Tuttle). diferencia de otras, las inflorescencias no “ideal” que devuelve los ecos de manera cuelgan en largos pedúnculos y necesitan potente, múltiples veces y con signos sobresalir de algún modo de la densa ve- acústicos fácilmente reconocibles e inva- getación que las rodea. Esto es logrado riables, y así los murciélagos ecoloca- por la hoja altamente ecoreflectiva aso- lizadores detectan las flores. ciada a las flores, que ayuda a los murcié- Posteriormente, registraron el tiempo lagos a encontrar eficientemente las flores que los murciélagos tardan en buscar una (Figura 1A) (Dressler, 2000; Schöner et al., 2015). Esta hoja especializada difiere fuente de alimento escondida dentro de un de las otras hojas del follaje en la forma y follaje artificial, presentándola sola, con en particular, en la profundidad (Simon et una hoja del follaje o con la hoja en forma al., 2011). cóncava, resultando una búsqueda por la Ralph Simon y colaboradores (2011) mitad del tiempo cuando los alimentado- analizaron las propiedades de reflexión res estaban acompañados de la hoja acús- acústica mediante la simulación de un so- tica especializada de M. evenia, que nar en forma de una cabeza de murcié- cuando estaba sin ella. lago, tanto de la hoja cóncava como de la Esta hoja acústica tiene beneficios para hoja del follaje, con fines comparativos. plantas y murciélagos. Por un lado, au- Para este experimento se fabricó una ca- menta la eficacia de la búsqueda de ali- beza de murciélago robótica, en la cual se montó un pequeño altavoz ultrasónico y mento de los murciélagos que se alimen- dos receptores. A través de la nariz, dis- tan de néctar, y visitan numerosas flores paró una serie de ultrasonidos en di- cada noche para satisfacer sus necesida- rección a cada una de las hojas y se graba- des energéticas. Por otro lado, los murcié- ron los ecos resultantes en las orejas elec- lagos al ser polinizadores con gran movi- trónicas del robot. lidad, pueden transportar polen a especí- A raíz del experimento, se demostró menes que están muy apartados, lo cual que una hoja normal, plana, solo refleja el resulta muy beneficioso para M. evenia. sonido una vez, cuando éste rebota sobre (Figura 1B) (Fleming et al., 2009; Simon ella, pero la que tiene forma cóncava ac- et al., 2011), promoviendo el flujo túa como un faro de propagación de ecos genético. Editor responsable: Ivón M. Ramírez Morillo 152 Desde el Herbario CICY 8: 151–155 (06/Octubre/2016) Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C. http://www.cicy.mx/sitios/desde_herbario/ ISSN: 2395-8790 Figura 2A. Pedúnculos largos de Mucuna holtonii, con inflorescencias al extremo. B. Murciélago inspeccionando a una flor madura de M. holtonii, con el pétalo ecoreflectivo en posición vertical. C. Murciélago presionando su hocico entre los pétalos laterales para acceder al néctar. D. El peso corporal del murciélago desata un mecanismo explosivo de abertura y liberación de los órganos reproductores de la flor, lanzando el polen sobre su cuerpo. (Fotografías: A-D. Merlin D. Tuttle). Mucuna holtonii (Kuntze) Moldenke abertura emana un ligero olor a ajo, una (Fabaceae) señal a larga distancia que atrae a los mur- Otra planta trepadora que presenta una ciélagos (Figura 2B). adaptación ecoacústica para los murciéla- Sin embargo, las flores son difíciles de gos es Mucuna holtonii. A diferencia de explotar pues el néctar está escondido y Marcgravia evenia, las inflorescencias de solo se puede acceder a él cuando los M. holtonii son más fáciles de detectar en murciélagos aterrizan en las flores y pre- la vegetación, ya que penden de largos pe- sionan sus hocicos entre los dos pétalos dúnculos quedando expuestas y accesibles laterales (Figura 2C). La presión ejercida para los murciélagos (Figura 2A) (von por el peso corporal sobre los pétalos late- Helversen y von Helversen, 1999). Antes rales y la quilla (se denomina así a los dos del evento de polinización, el pétalo pétalos inferiores soldados), activa el me- superior especializado que cierra la flor canismo de liberación de polen sobre el (denominado estandarte), se abre poco a cuerpo del murciélago (Figura 2D) (von poco en posición vertical y queda erguido Helversen y von Helversen, 2003). a modo de faro. Debajo, los dos pétalos Para coordinar este complejo compor- laterales se abren como unas alas, dejando tamiento, los murciélagos confían en las accesible el interior de la flor. De esta propiedades de guía del pétalo ecoreflec- Editor responsable: Ivón M. Ramírez Morillo 153 Desde el Herbario CICY 8: 151–155 (06/Octubre/2016) Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C. http://www.cicy.mx/sitios/desde_herbario/ ISSN: 2395-8790 tor de la flor, el cual recibe los ultrasoni- murciélago, es una adaptación totalmente dos del murciélago y rebota una señal lo- diferente que permite a la planta cooperar cal. La disposición del pétalo modificado con el murciélago usando señales de M. holtonii depende de si la flor ha acústicas. sido visitada para alimentarse o no; los murciélagos buscan preferentemente flo- Referencias res que no han sido explotadas, ricas en néctar, mientras viajan entre las flores. Dressler S. 2000. A new species of Después de que una flor ha sido visitada, Marcgravia (Marcgraviaceae) from los pétalos toman una diferente disposi- Amazonia with some notes on the ción, alterando la señal acústica que el Galeatae Group including a key. Will- murciélago recibe y así, dejándole saber denowia 30(2): 369-374. que el néctar de esa flor ha sido Fleming T.H., Geiselman C. y Kress consumido. W.J. 2009. The evolution of bat polli- Los hermanos von Helversen (1999) nation: a phylogenetic perspective. comprobaron que al remover tal pétalo o Annals of Botany 104: 1017-1043. modificar su eco, provocaba que la res- von Helversen D. y von Helversen O. pectiva flor fuera menos visitada que las 1999. Acoustic guide in bat-pollinated flores sin modificación en la misma inflo- flower. Nature 398:759–760. rescencia, lo cual demostró que los es- von Helversen D. y von Helversen O. pecializados pétalos de M. holtonii son 2003. Object recognition by echoloca- guías acústicas de para que los murciéla- tion: a nectar-feeding bat exploiting the gos consigan el néctar. Sin embargo, esta flowers of a rain forest vine. Journal estructura no tiene el alcance de las hojas Comparative Physiology A 189: 327- reflectantes de M.
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