Plants and PollinationPlants and Pollination

Dr. Moore-CrawfordDr. Moore-CrawfordPrince George’s Community CollegePrince George’s Community CollegeDepartment 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 batsChocolate midges (flies), stingless bees Dairy Products dairy cows eat alfalfa pollinated by leafcutter

and honey bees Vanilla beesCoffee 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