Efficient pollination of alpine plants

Several studies have documented low levels of insect diversity, abundance and activity in alpine ecosystems around the world1,7. It has been hypothesized that these factors may limit pollination of alpine plants8,9. We have measured pollination of alpine and foothill populations of Campanula rotundifolia by calculating a corrected visitation rate that incorporated information on pollinator abundance, visitation rates, pollen deposition and duration of stigma receptivity. Although pollinator visitation rates were significantly lower in alpine populations, corrected visitation rates showed that more effective pollination, combined with a longer period of stigma receptivity, compensated for this, resulting in comparable levels of pollination in populations from high and low elevations.