Welcome to a new series that I like to call "Thru the Scope". In this series, I will be examining things under the microscope so we can get a new perspective on things that we see throughout our lives and write information about it!
The first one in the series is pollen.
So what is pollen? Pollen is this fine yellowish powder/cell produced by flowering and cone-bearing plants, known as angiosperms and gymnosperms.
Pollen is the leading player in the pollination of plants, which is the transfer of pollen to certain plants and flowers to allow for their fertilization. Without this pollen, plants could not survive, proving the importance of pollen!
As we see, there's ton's of pollen all over any kind of flower; however, how does pollen actually make its way around to different plants?
The first is through pollinators! Kinds of pollinators range from bees and butterflies, to birds and bats! The reason these pollinators do what they do is because they feast on the nectar that lies within flowers; however, pollinators can also be attracted due to the vibrant colors and luring smell of the flowers! As they land on each flower, the pollen sticks onto them. This is important as when the pollinators leave and land on another flower, the pollen shakes off them, pollinating the new flower!
The second can be through the wind, called anemophily! Often, wind-pollination only occurs through pond plants. Essentially, the stamens and stigmas of the flowers are exposed to the air currents. There are tons of pollen on each of these flowers and they can easily be airborne. To catch pollen incoming from other flowers, the stigmas of the flowers are also very large and feathery, allowing them to catch pollen from other plants and fertilize!
How does pollination result in fertilization?
This is a tricky question and it goes into very granular detail. Fertilization takes place inside the ovary of a flower when the nucleus of the pollen grain fuses with the nucleus of an ovule to produce a zygote. Let's break it down. Firstly, as the pollen lands on the stigma of the plant, it grows a pollen tube down through to the ovary! Then, the nucleus of the pollen grain travels down through this pollen tube, eventually hitting the nucleus in the ovule and fertilizing it! Finally, the fertilized ovule develops into a seed, containing the plant embryo.
Conclusion
In the end, it's apparent that pollen and pollination is crucial for all life. Without pollen, we wouldn't have plants and seeds or fruits, nor would we have the next generation of plants! Thus, pollination allows these plants to produce the food that all life needs to survive. In the end, pollen and pollination is one of the most crucial things for all of life.
Sources:
“Pollination and Fertilisation - Asexual and Sexual Reproduction - National 4 Biology Revision - BBC Bitesize.” BBC News, BBC, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zykp34j/revision/5.
“Flowering Plants.” Ducksters, https://www.ducksters.com/science/biology/flowering_plants.php#:~:text=Insects%20and%20birds%20can%20play,to%20reproduce%20by%20creating%20seeds.
“Pollination Facts - What Is Pollination?” Cool Kid Facts, 29 Dec. 2021, https://www.coolkidfacts.com/pollination-for-kids/.
Comments