How can plants attract pollinators?
Cycads found in central Australia rely on thrips for pollination. The thrips are attracted by the scent, which then use to manage insects for male and female cones. Photo: M Bulbert © Australian Museum.
Just provide nectar can not guarantee that insects will come to a facility or transferring pollen to pollen recipients of the same species. For this reason, plants use visual and olfactory cues to attract and direct insects.
The scent is an effective way to attract pollinators. For example, strongly scented flowers tend to be visited by beetles and flies, while bees and butterflies visit fragrant flowers. It is also an effective way to manage pollinators to the pollen receivers.
Cycads from Australia internal use scent to lure thrips for pollination. Thrips are very small insects that can not carry much pollen grains, so the plant needs to attract a large number of them. A male Cycad cone laden with pollen will send a strong and pungent scent that will attract as many as 50 000 thrips. Female cones also emit an odor when they are ready to receive pollen, which then attracts the pollen-laden thrips.
Scent can also be used to fool the insects to be pollinators. The Corpse Flower of Indonesia uses a pungent smell of rotting meat to attract insects Carrión. The Australian Broad-lipped Orchid mimic the smell and also the emergence of a female Thynine wasps. This idiots male wasps in trying to mate with the flower that is pollinated in the process. www.bugwise.net.au
Saturday, December 20, 2008
How can plants attract pollinators?
How does flower shape affect pollinators?
How does flower shape affect pollinators?
A bee using its long tongue (Silhouette through the side of the flower) to access the nectar at the base of a flower with a long tubular head. Photo: © M Batley.
Flower form can restrict access to pollen and nectar for only the insects that have the right tools or skills. For example, the nectar at the bottom of a long tubular flower can only be accessed by insects, which have long mouthparts, such as butterflies, moths, flies and bees, which have long-lapping 'tongues'.
The flower shape can be so limiting, to a certain type of behavior may be required for access to pollen. For example, "Buzz pollination" is needed to pollinate many Hibberta species. It is practiced by the blue striped Bee and a number of native Australian carpenter bees, and includes bee farm on the site and vibrating the pollen out.
The relationship between flower shape and location of nectar is also used by plants to attract certain insects. Many legumes (eg Luzern), has hidden nectar, which can be opened only by big, strong bees like Leaf Cutter or Resin Bees. The flowers of these plants are closed. It is only by pushing down on the lower parts of the flower that opens up to allow access to the nectar. As spring flower pollen is flung open to taking body of bees. www.bugwise.net.au
Pollination of nectar feeders
Pollination of nectar feeders
A bee is based on hidden anthers as the lives of nectar. Photo: © D Nelson.
Most of flowering plants to encourage insects to visit their flowers at a secret sugar-rich liquid called nectar. This nectar collects in pools, which is below the sexual organs of the plant. As insects into the flower in search of nectar, it brushes against the anthers (pollen-bearing male parts of the flower). In doing so the insect collecting pollen when it sticks to her body. When the insect visits another flower for more nectar, the pollen is moved from his body to Stamford (pollen receiving female parts of the flower), causing pollination.
Pollination of a nectar feeder has a range of potential benefits, including:
- The location of nectar ensure insect can not avoid touching the bodies associated with pollination.
- Pure nectar feeders such as butterflies and moths do not eat pollen.
How can insects pollinate plants?
How can insects pollinate plants?
Pollination of pollen-feeder
A beetle collect pollen on her body as it feeds. Photo: © D Nelson.
Many insects eat pollen. In the process of eating becomes the subject of it. Pollination occurs when the pollen feeder transfer pollen to pollen recipients of the same plant or another plant of the same nature as insect look for more pollen to eat.
Drawbacks of attracting a pollen feeder:
- Eating too much postal facility want delivered - pollen.
- They tend to be general feeders and eat other parts of the plant, including sexual organs.
- They can be regarded as' unreliable pollinators' as a pollinator can not go anywhere near the female organs of the same species of plant.
Why is pollination by insects important
Why is pollination by insects important for the environment and us?
- Pollination by insects is a much more reliable and effective pollination mechanism than the chance of spreading.
- Pollination by insects provides plant community structures.
- Pollination by insects is particularly important for Australian native trees and shrubs. For example, native bees pollinate many members of plant families Myrtaceae. This family includes eucalypts, angophoras and tea trees.
- Pollination by insects are essential for crop production. A third of the human food supply are crops that are dependent on pollination by bees.
What insects are pollinators?
Species of bees, beetles, flies, wasps, thrips, butterflies and moths are all successful pollinators.
These insects make good pollinators, because they share two important features:
* The flies, and are therefore able to visit many plants in a relatively short time,
* They are motivated to interact with pollen as they either eat it or food adjacent (eg nectar).
The most sophisticated relationship between plants and insects are generally those involving bees. The bees collect pollen and nectar, not only for itself but also to feed their young. For this reason, bees have developed a number of adaptations that make them particularly good pollen carriers. Bees have special hairs, which are designed to provide pollen 'curve' on their hindlegs and the underside of their abdomen. These adjustments will allow them to collect and transport large quantities of pollen. Bees are ideal pollinators because they visit many flowers, while carrying lots of pollen, before returning to their nest. So the chance that a bee will transfer pollen between flowers of the same species is very high.
Pollination by insect
What is pollination?
A leaf cutter bee manages to cover itself in pollen. Photo: © D Nelson.
Pollen is made of the male organs of a plant (anthers of flowers) and contains the genetic information necessary for plant reproduction. Pollination is the supply of pollen to the female organs of a plant (the parent of flowers).
Pollen can be transferred to the female organs at the same plant (self-pollination) or a second plant of the same species (cross-pollination). As a result of the pollination of plants produce seeds. Pollen can be spread by wind, water and animal pollinators such as insects, bats and birds.
How important is insect pollination?
It is estimated that 65% of all flowering plants and some seed plants (eg Cycads and Pines) require insects for pollination. This percentage is even greater for economically important crops that give fruits, vegetables, textile fiber and related products. Because the insects are as effective pollinators, plants have developed many ways to encourage them to visit. This has led to some strong associations between plants and insects. www.bugwise.net.au
Pollination of plants by insects
by Rudy SCHEIBNER,
Extension Entomologist
Pollination is a process by which plants receive pollen from other plants of the same species, so they can reproduce by forming seeds. Some plants are pollinated by the wind, and some are pollinated by insects or other small animals. When the plants are pollinated by insects, it looks like some kind of agreement was reached, after which the facility will provide insect with anything, if insect will pollinate the plant flowers in return. Although the plant and the insect can take advantage because of their connection to each other, the insect visits a flower usually not targeted pollinate the flower.
Honey Bees are very important insect pollinators. Most of the time, both honey bees and the plants they visit, is beneficial. The honey bee get some food and equipment get pollinated. When a honey bees collect pollen from the anthers (male reproductive part) of a flower, it brings the pollen in special pollen baskets on its hind legs. All that pollen will be taken back to the hive of bees' use. The honey bees is a messy producer of food, and some pollen gets stuck on the hairs of her body. When bien visit the next flower, some of the pollen brushes off the flower, and if it sticks to the stigma (female part) of the flower, pollination will take place. Bien does not make any effort to put the pollen in the right place.
Bees also collect pollen from corn, grain but gets nothing in return. Corn is pollinated by the wind. When honey bees try to get nectar from a flower alfalfa, the flower has a tripping device, which merges the bees in the face with one, too (the pollen-bearing part of a flower). It is the flower on the way to ensure that its pollen being attached to an insect to transfer to another flower. Bees do not like being slapped in the face, so they usually find some other kind of plant to get nectar. Some of the bees learn to chew a hole in the side of the flower and get to the nectar through the side door. When they do that pollination occurs not because the pollen on the bees do not reach the top of stigma. So it seems that the only reason for a bee visit a flower is to get what it wants and not to perform a pollination service. Pollination occurs as a happy accident of the flower.
Many other kinds of insects as wasps, flies, beetles, thrips and other types of bees, feeding on nectar or pollen also pollinate flowers by accident. However, there are at least some insects, who deliberately make sure that the flowers they visit get pollinated. The way a Yucca flower is built, it may not be pollinated in the ordinary way, and it depends on the special service of a Yucca moths to do it. When the moths come to a Yucca flower assemble a ball of pollen, and then goes to the ovaries of the female part of the flower, where it includes some eggs. Then rises to the top of the female part of the flower and puts the ball of pollen on the stigma where it is due for pollination to occur.
Now that it is pollinated, the flower can produce seeds in her ovary. The Yucca moth larvae eat some of the seeds, but many are left over to produce new Yucca plant. Because Yucca moth larvae eat only Yucca seed, and Yucca plant is pollinated only by Yucca moths, both moth and the plant will depend on each other for survival. www.uky.edu
( The image from www.landcareresearch.co.nz)
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Salak (snake fruit)
Salak (Salacca zalacca, syn. S. edulis, Calamus zalacca) is a species of palm tree (family Arecaceae) native to Indonesia and Malaysia. It is a very short-stemmed palm, with leaves up to 6m long; each leaf has a 2m long petiole with spines up to 15cm long, and numerous leaflets.
The fruit grow in clusters at the base of the palm, and are also known as snake fruit due to the reddish-brown scaly skin. They are about the size and shape of a ripe fig, with a distinct tip. The pulp is edible. The fruit can be peeled by pinching the tip which should cause the skin to slough off so it can be pulled away. The fruit inside consists of three lobes, each containing a large inedible seed. The lobes resemble, and have the consistency of, large peeled garlic cloves. The taste is usually sweet and acidic, but its apple-like texture can vary from very dry and crumbly (salak pondoh from Yogyakarta) to moist and crunchy (salak Bali).
Salak fruit has been cultivated throughout Indonesia and there are at least 30 cultivars, but most of which have an astringent taste and are not sweet. Two popular cultivars are salak pondoh from Yogyakarta province (found in 1980s) and salak Bali from Bali island.
Salak pondoh
Salak pondoh is an important fruit in Yogyakarta province. In the five years to 1999, the annual production of salak pondoh in Yogyakarta doubled to 28,666 tons. The popularity of salak pondoh (compared with other cultivars) among local Indonesian consumers is mainly due to the intensity of its aroma, which can be overripe and sweaty even before full maturation.[1] The salak pondok cultivar has been produced outside the province. However, the distinctive aroma of salak pondoh is not as popular among non-native consumers.[1]
Salak pondoh has three more superior variations, namely pondoh super, pondoh hitam (black pondoh), and pondoh gading (ivory-english term for gading / yellowish-skinned pondoh).
Salak Bali
Salak Bali is commonly sold all over the island of Bali, and is a popular fruit with both locals and tourists. It is also a favourite fruit of the monkeys found in the famous "Monkey Forests", with the animals often stealing fruit from visitors, especially children whom they see as an easier target. The fruit is roughly the size of a large fig, and has a crunchy and moist consistency. The fruit has a starchy 'mouth feel', and a flavour remeniscent of dilute pineapple and lemon juice.
Salak Gula Pasir
The most expensive cultivar of th Bali salak is the 'gula pasir', which is smaller than the normal salak and is the sweetest of all salak. The price in Bali is 15,000rp-30,000rp+ per kilogram (dependent on time of year when more trees are fruiting), against about 12,000rp for regular salak (non-Bali salak are cheaper than this as they are not as sweet). www.wikipedia.com
| Salak | ||||||||||||||||
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 Salak fruit | ||||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||
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| Salacca zalacca (Gaertn.) Voss |
Ginger
The roots of this one, other than have a distinctive odor also have a spicy taste and quite sharp. Many functions of ginger for our health. In addition to expedite blood circulation, ginger is also working to incite. Boiled ginger and palm sugar. Filter and drink warm-warm. This herb to help us drive out hypothermia, which can attack when we are trapped in the cold air. Ginger is also very good for nausea (because of pregnancy, illness, the influence of drugs, etc.), colic and other digestive disturbances. In addition, ginger can also be used for anti-inflammation drugs, and help overcome cough and sputum thin. How to make ginger beverages similar to turmeric. Just replace the palm sugar with honey. Drinking warm-warm three times a day to help dilute sputum and relieve cough.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
DIVERSE OF CACTUS
This is the type of Cactus diverse. there are many types of cactus that can we find in this world
CACTUS
Cactus comes from the Greek word kaktos. This means that the thorny plants. Linneaus is, botanist who created the classification of plants, the cactus to enter in groups or thorny plants, Cactaceae.
When referring to the history, cactus has been growing about 100 million years ago. Previously cactus form of a body high. Then, around 60 million years later, cactus declared extinct. This occurred due to volcanic eruptions that took drown Continent United States, which Unsurprisingly place to grow.
After vulkanik volcanic activity is stopped, cactus to grow back. However, cactus-generation "Anyar" grow with this form of a short moyangnya from yesterday. Short form of cactus that we often met in the present time.
Generally, the cactus came from the barren plains, such as South America and Mexico. Areas that have low rainfall, with a frequency that is not necessarily. Changes in temperature are also very extreme. There is also the opinion that the cactus is derived from Central and South America, Canada to the North until the Galapagos Islands, in the tropical Pacific Islands and in East India and the Caribbean.
Regional cactus is a diverse life. From the coastal region that leads to the sea, forest wilderness to the mountain range of ice berbalut the Andes Mountains. So, this is not strange when met at the height of cactus 3000 - 4000 m above sea level.
From the fact was, can be included cactus plants which can survive in any field. Cactus easily make adjustments and forms of adaptation in the body. "An example of this adaptation can be clearly seen. When the natural conditions are not suitable, cactus leaf size will be reduced or even not at all out of the leaves. Perakarannya stem be tighten and the storage of water, "said Joesi that since primary school is interested in the cactus.
While in the regions with hot and arid land, cactus adapting to establish how the body skin and thick layer of wax. No lag, hair-growing fuzz or thorn-sharp thorns. Functions clear, reduce the expenditure of the water body.
In the case of the spread, bird players meritorious fruit cactus is considered to sow the seeds of all the places in the world. Although so, people still recognized as a major factor in the distribution of two users of this plant. It can be seen when they perform a migration, cactus never behind in the list of default.
Examples of the most easy, the spread of the cactus in their own country. In Indonesia, cactus entry through the hands of government the Dutch colony. Bule-thing original state windmill is the first to the seeds and cactus. "When the Dutch government, cactus spread to various areas (in the archipelago)," said Joesi.
Habits involve cactus to a new place also made Joesi. "Because my father often switch tasks, cactus collection dibawa.Tapi families often participate because of too many, there is also a deliberately abandoned," he said.
Nepenthes
Brief on the Kantong Semar/Nepenthes
For the plant lover, this is the type of newcomers who are telly. Semar bag, a name that is not foreign to us again, but still many people who have not see in the lansung Crops Karnivora. Nepenthes, the first time are introduced by JP Breyne. Name Nephentes name taken from a glass of wine. In Indonesia, as the bag Semar, with a variety of different areas, pot monkeys (Riau), a bag beruk (Gombe), ketakung (Alaska), the king sorok orderly (West Java). napu head (Dayak Katingan), telep end (Dayak Bakumpai), and cellist begongong (Dayak Tunjung).
Plants included in the group of plants liana (King) or by the twigs in the trees, two channel, and male and female flowers on separate individuals who are different. Life in the soil (terrestrial), there is also attached to the stem or twig other trees (epiphyte). Bag of Nepenthes is a change from the edge of the leaves that have become the trap insects or other small animals. Because of this plant is classified as a plant karnivora (carnivorous plant), other than Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), sundews (Droseraceae) and several other types. Karnivora plants generally live in poor soil life, especially nitrogen, such as the area Kerangas.
Nepenthes belongs to the family and Nepenthaceae class Magnoliopsida generally grow in the rain forest tropik low, mountain forest, peat forest, forest Kerangas, limestone mountains, savanna and the lakeside. Nepenthes spread from northern Australia, Southeast Asia, to southern China. There are about 82 species of Nepenthes in the world and 64 kinds are in the Indonesian Borneo (Kalimantan, Sarawak, Sabah and Brunei) is the central distribution of Nepenthes in the world. In accordance with the altitude life, Nepenthes is divided into three groups, namely those living in the lowland (0-500 mdpl (meters from the surface of the sea)), middle plains (500-1000 mdpl) and the high altitude (above 1,000 mdpl). For the low cover of N. gracilis, N. mirabilis, N. reinwardtiana, and N. raflesiana, N. adnata, N. clipeata, N. mapuluensis is a type that can live in the middle. While that can grow well in the high plains covering N. above, N. densiflora, N. dubia, N. ephippiata and N. eymae. Multiplication of Nepenthes plants do slip through the stem, seeds and separate the young. Nepenthes, which generally live in low terrestrial grow in places that sloppy or near water sources in the substrate of acid. Nepenthes also need sunlight intensive with long daylight between 10-12 hours every day throughout the year, with a temperature between 23-31Â ° C and humidity between 50-70%.
Benefits Kantong Semar
Besides the decorative plant bag Semar also have functions that are not important, including:
1. As Climate Indicator
If in an area or areas in tumbuhi by Nepenthes gymnamphora, kawsan means the level is quite high rainfall, humidity above 75%, even poor soil nutrients
2. Plant medicine
Bag of liquids that are still closed, used as cough medicine.
3. Source drinking water for these
For the mountain climber who thirst bag of Semar N. gymnamphora is a feasible source of drinking water because of its neutral pH (6-7), but the bag still closed, because the bags that have been contaminated with the open to find insects that enter into, pH-3 and its sour taste.
4. As replacement strap
Semar stem from the bag is in use as a replacement strap for fastening the goods.
The threat Kantong Semar
All Nepenthes species is protected, but it exists now is a little more. Habitat that is increasingly narrow in both the karenakan human activities in lansung and lansung or not.
Threats against the Kantong Semar:
1. Without opening Area
2. Area Ponds Open
3. Exploitation of species to commercialize the
Enchantment nephentes now more melejit. Many fans began to collect a variety of plant variety. The nature and uniqueness figure to be the main attraction. For example, the ability of plants memangsa insects. Although commonly found in high altitude, but capable of adapting in some low. Unfortunately, many kantongnya to treat and propagate nephentes tidaklahlah easy. Need the care and handling of the right to appear excellent. If not treated standards, allow the beauty of the bag Semar is located in the habitat that's sweeping the ruler of the mountain remain so.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Plants and flowers can grow in Moon rocks
Researchers with the European Space Agency (ESA) has shown that plants and flowers can be grown on the Moon by demonstrating that Marigold can grow in crushed rock very much like the lunar surface, without the need for plant food.
According to a report by BBC News, the new research was presented at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) meeting in Vienna.
"We wanted to create a system of water circulation and recovery, which is also the type of system, which in any case, you want to develop when you are on track to produce a primitive form of life support system," said Bernard Foing, a senior researcher with the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) in the Netherlands.
"So it is also a kind of" technological breadboard 'to maintain a simple life form in an extreme environment, "he added.
The new steps are taken in the experiments reported in the EGU, is to eliminate the need to bring nutrients and soil from Earth.
A group led by Natasha Kozyrovska and Iryna Zaetz from the National Academy of Sciences in Kiev planted Marigold in crushed anorthosite, a type of rock found on Earth, which is very similar to a large part of the lunar surface.
In sirlige anorthosite, the plants have performed very poorly. But adding different types of bacteria made them thrive; the bacteria appeared to draw elements from the rock that the plants are needed, such as potassium.
Dr Foing, who presented the study at the EGU meeting, said there was no reason in principle why the same idea could not bear fruit on the Moon itself. Tools could crush the Lunar rock and add bacteria and seeds.
"However, scientists could see that go further, by selecting plants or bacteria, which are particularly well adapted to Lunar conditions, or even by genetically engineering new strains," he added.
According to Foing, growing plants on the Moon would be useful as a tool to learn how life adapts to the Lunar conditions, and as a practical aid to establishing manned bases. (www.topnews.com)
