Data from: Plant provenance affects pollinator network: implications for ecological restoration

The selection of plant provenance for ecological restoration is an
intensively debated topic. Throughout this debate, arguments mostly focus
on plant performance, but little attention is paid to the effects of
provenance on other members of the restored ecosystem. On the other hand,
in restoration projects that focus specifically on supporting interacting
biota, for example, flower stripes among fields to support pollinators,
the provenance choice is often not considered, partly because the effect
of provenance on pollinators is unknown. In this pioneering case study, we
tested whether pollinators differentiate between experimental plant
communities of different provenances. We established experimental plant
communities with the same species composition but with plants originating
from three different provenances. We then recorded plant phenology and
observed pollinators and flower visitors interacting with these
experimental communities and related the pollinator visitation to the
provenance identity.  The provenances of the experimental plant
communities had a strong and significant effect on the diversity and
abundance of flower-pollinator interactions, with one provenance
interacting twice as often as the other two provenances. The effect was
driven by the differences in flowering phenology among provenances.
Synthesis and applications: Plant provenances substantially differ in
their interactions with local pollinators. Therefore, the selection of
plant provenance should be considered when planning restoration projects
for the support of pollinators.