Pollination Background Research

Pollination Background

Pollen: A male sex seed contained in tough exteriors called pollen. 

Pollination: The transfer of a pollen grain to a receptive female stigma for reproduction.

Wind (abiotic) Pollination:

Plants that depend on wind pollination tend to have much many more pollen grains, because they get to put in all their energy into making lots of pollen, rather than having to produce nectar, aroma, flowers, etc. Physical environment has a large amount of control on the success of wind pollination. Wind pollination will likely be most successful if these ideal physical attributions are met:

• Must have large amounts of pollen grains.
• Must have some aerodynamic properties. 
• The flower must have appropriate placement on the plant, as well as the plant having appropriate placement in order for maximum possibility of being released in moving air.
• Pollen must be released at the correct time of day and season for maximum chance of catching downwind. 
• Must be relatively close to compatible plants. 
• Plant should be in an environment relatively open and free of non compatible objects (buildings, etc.)
• Environmental cues to let flower know when to release pollen.
• Appropriate wind velocity to ensure transportation.
• Relatively low humidity or rainfall.

Pollen of wind dependent plants: Pollen grains of plants have a wide range of size and shape, but wind dependent pollen grains tend to be relatively small and thin for maximum aerodynamicity. They also tend to have a smoother structure.

Animal (Biotic) Pollination: 

Animal mediated pollination is a mutualistic relationship between both the animal and the plant. Animals benefit the nutrition from the pollen/nectar while plants of course benefit from the dispersion of pollen to as many plants as possible, and as far as possible. Plants that depend on biotic pollination have lower amount of pollen, because they spend more energy on aroma, nectar and flowers. These flowers characteristics (aroma, nectar, flowers) of animal dependent plants attract the animals to the plant, starting the reproduction system:

• The plant attracts the animal (with aroma, flower, nectar, access to nectar).
• The pollen attaches itself to the animal of insect once it lands and starts feeding on the plant.
• When the animal/insect leaves the plant and goes to the next plant it brings the pollen grains with it and the pollen grains land onto the stigma of the new plant.
• After reaching the stigma, the pollen grain germinates and grows a tiny pollen tube that stretches down the style and into an egg-filled ovary. 
• The pollen fertilizes the egg and begins to form into a seed.

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=l87M-VWKUoUC&oi=fnd&pg=PA97&dq=wind+pollination&ots=CKrG3cb5LJ&sig=-xG4kpxkwxh6wl7_kRwqk0HKxqM#v=onepage&q=wind%20pollination&f=false

http://www.infoplease.com/dk/science/encyclopedia/pollination.html

http://wolfweb.unr.edu/~ldyer/classes/396/plantanimal.pdf

http://whyfiles.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/bee_pollen2.jpg

http://s878.photobucket.com/user/rainwalker_51/media/violetear.jpg.html
wind pollination