monolectic

Monolectic is a term used in pollination ecology and bee foraging studies to describe a pollinator that specializes in collecting pollen from a single plant taxon, typically a single plant species or genus. The concept represents one end of a continuum of pollen-use specialization, with oligolectic species feeding on a few closely related taxa and polylectic species exploiting many taxa. In practice, monolecticness is most commonly discussed with bees, particularly solitary bees, where pollen-foraging behavior matches morphological, chemical, or phenological characteristics of the host plant.

Monolectic bees may experience high foraging efficiency on their host plant due to specialized pollen-collecting structures or preferences, but this specialization creates reliance on the presence, distribution, and flowering timing of the host. As a result, monolectic species are often more vulnerable to environmental change, habitat loss, and plant decline than more generalized pollinators. Their ecological role includes the potential to contribute to pollination of their host when co-flowering with contexts that allow cross-pollination.

Determining monolectic status involves field observations and analysis of collected pollen loads to identify pollen taxa. Researchers may use palynology (pollen analysis) to quantify the relative contribution of different plant taxa in a bee's diet, supplemented by field experiments or mark-recapture studies to assess fidelity.

Note that definitions vary: some authors require the host taxon to be a single species, others a single genus, allowing some degree of taxonomic latitude. Consequently, the term "monolectic" is sometimes applied inconsistently across studies.