Pollen anaylses for dummies

By Gretchen D. Jones

A plasterer bee dusted with pollen. Photo by S.D.Jones

Pollinators feed on the pollen, nectar, and other plant liquids that are associated with flowers. As a result of this feeding activity, pollen becomes attached to them. Analysis of this pollen can tell us what they eat, their dispersal patterns in and around cropping systems, and their role in pollination. However, finding pollen on and or in a pollinator depends on the technique used to recover pollen. Two very easy techniques are described in detail that have been used to recover pollen from a variety of pollinators.

Dogwood pollen. Bar: 20μm

Read the whole summary: pdf.
Read the scientific publication in JPE . 
 

Pollination of an invasive plant

by Jeff Ollerton et al.

A sunbird hovering to feed on nectar from the flowers of tree tobacco in Israel. Photo by Idan Shida.

The movement of plants around the globe for agriculture, forestry and horticulture has in some cases resulted in the accidental spread of aggressive species into natural communities. These invasive species are considered to be an important threat to native biodiversity. It is very difficult to predict whether a particular type of plant will become invasive, but one of the main factors is whether or not it can reproduce successfully in its new habitat. For those plants that are animal pollinated, the ability to recruit suitable pollinators is clearly important and it is thought that generalised species (which can be pollinated by a wide range of different types of animal) are more likely to become invasive than more specialised species. 

                                                                           

Read the whole summary in: English, Afrikaans, Spanish or Hebrew!
Read the scientific publication in JPE