Which of the following are the important floral rewards to the animal ...
Nectar and pollen grains are the usual floral rewards which the animal pollinators get.
Additional Information:
- Flowering plants need to get pollen from one flower to another, either within a plant for self-pollination or between plants of the same species for cross-pollination to occur.
- However, pollen can't move on its own, so animals or the wind (and water in rare cases) move the pollen for plants.Many flowers use colours to attract insects, sometimes helped by coloured guiding marks. Some have ultraviolet marks that can be seen by insects but are invisible to human eyes.
- Flowers are often shaped to provide a landing platform for visiting insects or to force them to brush against anthers and stigmas.
- Some flowers have a scent to attract insects. Many of these scents are pleasing to humans too, but not all some flowers attract flies with a smell of rotting meat.
- Colours can't be seen in the dark, so scent is important for flowers that are pollinated by night-flying insects such as moths.
- Most bird-pollinated flowers have lots of nectar, often at the bottom of a tube of petals.
- Birds need to brush against anthers and stigmas when reaching for the sugary reward with their long beaks. Some birds, such as stitchbirds and bellbirds, have special brush-like tips to their tongues to help them soak up the nectar.
Hence, the correct option is A.
NCERT Reference: Page no. 30 of topic “Agents of Pollination” of chapter 2.
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Which of the following are the important floral rewards to the animal ...
(a) Nectar and pollen grains are the usual floral rewards which the animal pollinators get. ##@
Which of the following are the important floral rewards to the animal ...
Nectar and pollen grains as important floral rewards to animal pollinators:
Nectar:
- Nectar is a sugary liquid produced by plants to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds.
- It serves as a high-energy food source for the pollinators, providing them with the necessary nutrients for their survival.
- Pollinators consume nectar while inadvertently transferring pollen from one flower to another, aiding in pollination.
Pollen grains:
- Pollen grains are the male reproductive cells of flowering plants.
- Pollinators like bees and butterflies collect pollen while foraging for nectar.
- When they move from flower to flower, pollen grains adhere to their bodies and get transferred to the stigma of other flowers, leading to cross-pollination.
Overall, nectar and pollen grains are essential floral rewards that attract and nourish animal pollinators, ensuring the successful pollination of plants. These rewards play a crucial role in the reproductive success of flowering plants and the maintenance of biodiversity in ecosystems.