Welcome to the Pollination Department 1
Every place on Earth is an ecosystem, including our club site.
In today’s club adventure we will investigate pollination eco-services… 3
provided at our club site. 4
bees even do headstands for it! 5 Pollination is so much fun…,
Pollination is: 1)Another name for the country of Polli 2)A new way to take a survey 3)How plants reproduce 6
If you guessed…. how most plants reproduce You were right! 7
Let’s look at the parts of a flower. Male parts : stamens (anther and filament) Female parts: pistil (stigma, style, ovary) 8
Flower Parts Most flowers have both male and female parts, and it is best if pollen goes from one plant to the stigma of a different plant. 9
Here’s another kind of flower, an Easter lily. 10
How do plants make sure that pollen goes from one plant to another? Separate male and female flowers 11
Or plants might make sure that the male & female flower parts mature at different times.
Pollination Department In Garden Earth, Suga Magnolia oversees the department. 13
Suga has lots of workers. Let’s meet some of them. 14
Bees 15
Wasps 16
Butterflies 17
Beetles 18
Flies 19
Birds 20
Bats 21
Breezes (yes, the wind can pollinate) Johnsongrass Red Maple 22
Why do pollinators visit flowers? To collect pollen. It is used as food for bee larvae. 23
Why do pollinators visit flowers? To collect nectar. It provides energy for the pollinator or its young. 24
What attracts pollinators to flowers? Flower color Flower odor Deception 25
Let’s stand up and pretend we are bees.
Adaptations for Pollinators: Red color Flowers with a tube shape Large amounts of sweet nectar Open during day Hummingbirds often visit flowers that have:
Adaptations for Pollinators: White color Flowers with a tube shape Large amounts of sweet nectar Open during night Hawkmoths often visit flowers that have:
Adaptations for Pollinators:Butterflies Many colors Flower clusters to land on Odorless Small floral tubes with nectar
Adaptations for Pollinators: Tiny flowers Many flower parts missing No nectar Open during day or night Wind pollinated plants have:
Adaptations for Pollinators: Bees are the most common and important pollinators. Color: yellow, blue, white Short tube Sweet scent Ultraviolet patterns
From Gronquist, Matthew et al. (2001) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98,
Bees & Flowers: Lots of Variation
How will we learn about pollination ? 34 Bees! Hardworking Pollination department workers!
How will we learn about the Pollination Department? 35 Parts of a Flower
What could hurt pollinators at our site? 36
Threats to Pollinators Pollinators are threatened by: Use of pesticides Lack of host plants Destruction of habitat 37
How can you help pollinators? Don’t use pesticides in areas where pollinators are visiting. Plant many different kinds of plants to provide nectar during the entire growing season. Leave some bare areas as homes for ground nesting bees.
What can we do to help the Pollination Department at our site?