Distribution of Plants with Extrafloral Nectaries in Temperate Communities

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Abstract
The abundance of plants with extrafloral nectaries was determined for a series of temperate habitats in Nebraska [USA]. Mean cover of plants with extrafloral nectaries was 1.3% in riparian forest understory, 1.8% in virgin deciduous forest understory, 0.0% in tall-grass prairie and 8.3% in sandhill prairie. Sandhill prairie contained distinct communities with different mean cover of plants with extrafloral nectaries and showed seasonal changes in nectary activity. Cover of plants with extrafloral nectaries was compared to ant abundance, plant species diversity, rainfall and frost-free season: the first 2 showed highly significant correlations with mean cover of extrafloral nectaries.