The distribution of standing crop of nectar: what does it really tell us?

Abstract

Brink (1982) characterizes the distribution of standing crop of nectar for Delphinium nelsonii as bonanzablank, based on comparison with a Poisson. He then discusses possible effects of standing crop variability on pollinator foraging behavior. We disagree with the use of the Poisson and the resulting conclusions. The expected distribution should not be based on doling out random amounts of nectar to flowers, but based on random return times to flowers by pollinators (elapsed time=nectar accumulated). When this model is used, standing crop variance does not differ markedly from expectation. What differences do exist can be accounted for by variability in nectar production rates of individual plants. We also take issue with the use of the bonanza-blank terminology. As originally formulated this refers to nectar production differences within a plant rather than standing crop differences among plants.