What is the significance of pollination

While flowering plants are able to reproduce asexually by producing clones of themselves, sexual reproduction, involving pollination and the subsequent production of seeds and fruits, results in greater diversity even when self-pollination occurs. Cross-pollination further increases this diversity as genetic material from two different parent plants is combined. Pollination is a service that animals provide. Humans depend on living organisms and their physical environment to survive.

These benefits that people obtain from their environment are called ecosystem services, all of which fit into at least one of four categories: provisioning services those that provide physical benefits, eg.

Pollination is sometimes considered a supporting service and sometimes a regulating service. Pollination not only results in the production of fruits, seeds, and subsequent plants that are produced from agriculture and for the purpose of feeding livestock, but maintains and increases diversity within and between native species of plants.

These plants are then also sometimes used by humans for medicinal purposes, building materials, fiber for clothing, and other uses. As pollination increases the diversity within plant species, pollination potentially supports the emergence of new compounds that may be useful in food or medicine.

Plants, especially trees, also prevent erosion and flooding, maintain water quality, absorb and store carbon, release oxygen, and cycle nutrients, among the many other ecosystem services that they provide. A wide range of other animals also benefit from pollination.

The reproduction of plants results in food and habitat for animal species, which in turn play their own roles in food webs and the environment at large. Additionally, humans benefit from this through activities such as recreation, hunting, and fishing. Pollinators are crucial to maintaining indigenous flora and fauna.

Many people value nature and its diversity for spiritual reasons, all of which is supported by pollinators. Many pollinating species also directly produce other products for human consumption, such as honey, wax, and propolis.

Pollinator populations are declining rapidly on a global scale; this is often referred to as the global pollination crisis.

Pollinators are essential for the production of a wide variety of food that humans consume. Human activities threaten pollinators.

In recent decades, climate change has altered the range, abundance and seasonal activities of some wild pollinator species. Humans have altered the natural landscape and changed land use, reducing the natural habitat of wild pollinator species. Simultaneously, environmental pollution has degraded the natural habitats. Contemporary forms of agriculture have changed the influence of pollinators with a shift to large-scale and artificial forms of pollination.

Intensive agricultural management is a leading threat to pollinator species. Controlled forms of pollination by managed pollinators have brought in risks. Mass breeding and large-scale transport of managed bees contributed to an enhanced transmission of parasites and pathogens.

This spreads diseases across the entire community of both wild and managed pollinators. Additionally, it increases the occurrence of more dangerous pathogens, alien species invasions and regional extinction of native species. Despite the challenges to providing insight into the extent of the threat to pollinators and to provide exact numbers, research shows declines in abundance and diversity. In Northwest Europe and North America, the occurrence and diversity of wild pollinators have declined at local and regional scales.

Vertebrate pollinator species such as birds and bats, but also primates, lizards and rodents are declining. Use pesticides only when necessary and then only late in the day or evening. Look for alternative ways to deal with pest and disease issues before reaching for a quick fix.

These often come at a price. The actions you take in and around your garden can either help reduce or promote the population of pollinators in your landscape. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter. Hi Joe, This was super helpful and informative. I am writing a research paper for my graduate class Biodiversity and the age of technology.

I am focusing my masters thesis on Monarch Butterflies, how important pollinators are to our ecosystem, the rapid decline in population and ways we can help on local community levels to start. I am planning to have a community engagement piece where I include my girl scouts in the process of getting some milkweed gardens going in our community Denver and maybe write a kid friendly book that educates youth on the important of pollinators.

I would love any resources, advice, input, anything you would be willing to offer. I have done educational programs on birds and butterflys for many years and am now into the education of our native bees. I am looking to buy a dvd or get a power point program.