Celebrezze, T.Paton, D.2006-06-192006-06-192004Austral Ecology: a journal of ecology in the Southern Hemisphere, 2004; 29(2):129-1361442-99851442-9993http://hdl.handle.net/2440/1669The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.comIn many previous studies of the effects of introduced honeybees on Australian ecosystems, it has been assumed that floral morphology is a primary factor determining whether introduced honeybees will be effective in pollinating endemic plants. Although both honeybees and birds contacted stigmas and anthers of the small-flowered Brachyloma ericoides (Epacridaceae), the exclusion of birds but not honeybees resulted in a significantly lower proportion of flowers producing capsules (12.3 ± 2 vs 21.0 ± 2%). This suggests that native birds contributed significantly to fruit set even though honeybees were much more frequent visitors to flowers (5–6 vs 0.7–2.5 times per day) and moved more frequently between plants (25 vs 12.2% of movements). Fruit set following exposure to birds and honeybees was very low compared with shrub species in general and may have been limited by the pre-emptive removal of pollen by the 10% of honeybees that actively collected pollen.enBird pollinationbreeding systemEricaceaefruit productionhoney beesMeliphagidaepollen limitationself-incompatibilityZosteropidaeJournal article002004209310.1111/j.1442-9993.2003.01328.x0002206283000022-s2.0-234262920355812