Earlier gap flowering can reduce seed set by confusing pollinator search images

Evidence

Plants that flower earlier in gaps may or may not set more seed than nongap individuals. Although pollinators, which are known to be more active in sunflecks (Beattie, 1971), may have greater activity in gaps, the offset of flowering time may result in poorer development of search images for the earlier plants and, hence, lower reproductive success. — S. T. A. Pickett and P. S. White, eds., The Ecology of Natural Disturbance and…, 1445