Pollination
Pollination is a critical natural process, symbiotically benefitting both the fauna and flora that participate, as well as global ecosystems and humanity as a whole. Pollination is one of the primary methods for plant reproduction, particularly for flowering plants. Pollen is a dusty granule substance containing genetic material, and is produced by the anther of a flower. In order for a plant to mate, the pollen must be introduced to the stigma of another flower of the same species, resulting in seed or fruit production.
Pollen is carried from one flower to another by vectors such as wind, water, and most importantly pollinator animals. Insects are the most critical pollinators: bees, butterflies, moths, and the lesser known flies, wasps, and beetles. Other pollinators include birds, bats, and small mammals. Most pollinators visit flowers to consume nectar or pollen, often the animal’s primary source of sustenance. As they move from flower to flower grazing, they inadvertently transfer the pollen from anther to stigma, allowing the plant to reproduce.
This vital agreement, a reciprocal exchange of genetic dispersal for critical nutrients, is responsible for the survival of 180,000 different species of plants, and a third of the crops we eat as food.
Sadly, pollinator populations are declining across the globe, primarily due to loss of habitat and food resources. Pollution, harmful chemicals, land development, disease, and shifting climate patterns all play a role in declining pollinator livelihood. Without these crucial creatures, we face devastating food shortages, ecosystem damage and erosion, and loss of biodiversity. We all have a role to play in ensuring their survival, and the survival of all the many species that depend upon them.