Plants and PollinationPlants and Pollination

Dr. Moore-CrawfordDr. Moore-Crawford

Prince George’s Community CollegePrince George’s Community College

Department of Biological SciencesDepartment of Biological Sciences

What are plants?What are plants?

Plants are alive, just like people and animals. Plants are alive, just like people and animals.

They grow and die. They grow and die. They need energy, nutrients, air, and water. They need energy, nutrients, air, and water. They produce young. They produce young. They are made up of cells. They are made up of cells. They react to their environment. They react to their environment.

Parts of a FlowerParts of a Flower

PollinationPollination

The transfer of pollen from the anther to the The transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma of a flowerstigma of a flower

Types of PollinationTypes of Pollination

Self pollinationSelf pollination Wind pollinationWind pollination Water pollinationWater pollination Animal pollinationAnimal pollination

Animal PollinatorsAnimal Pollinators

InsectsInsects BirdsBirds BatsBats Other mammalsOther mammals

Animal PollinatorsAnimal Pollinators

Animal PollinatorsAnimal Pollinators

Animal PollinatorsAnimal Pollinators

Pollination is essentialPollination is essential

About 80% of flowering plants require animal About 80% of flowering plants require animal pollinatorspollinators

About 1 out of every 3rd bite of food is the result of animal pollinators

Without pollinators, people and Earth’s land ecosystems would not survive

Pollination EquationPollination Equation

Pollinators and FoodPollinators and Food

FoodFood PollinatorPollinatorApples honey bees, blue mason orchard bees

Banana birds; fruit bats

Chocolate midges (flies), stingless bees

Dairy Products dairy cows eat alfalfa pollinated by leafcutter and honey bees

Vanilla bees

Coffee stingless bees, other bees or flies Sugarcane bees, thrips Pumpkins squash and gourd bees, bumblebees

Protecting pollinatorsProtecting pollinators

Grow native wildflowersGrow native wildflowers Limit the use of pesticidesLimit the use of pesticides