Pollinator Limitation

"Insects and other terrestrial arthropods—such as bees, butterflies, beetles, and the like—are so essential to ecosystems that if they were to vanish entirely, humanity might not survive for more than a few months." —E. O. Wilson, The Diversity of Life

- JAYDEV JANA The writer is a retired IAS officer

Plant-insect interactions encompass a wide array of relationships, ranging from the beneficial (like pollination) to the detrimental (like herbivory). These interactions are driven by a complex interplay of chemical and physical factors that influence both plant defense mechanisms and insect feeding strategies.

Through coevolution, plants and insects have developed intricate adaptations, shaping ecosystems and impacting agriculture. The amazing partnerships support the survival and reproduction of various species and strengthen the interconnectedness of life.

Pollination is one of the most fascinating processes in the natural world. The simple truth is we cannot live without pollination. Pollen, looking like insignificant yellow dust, bears a plant's male sex cells and is a vital link in the reproductive cycle.

Pollination is the process of transferring pollen from the male part of a flower (anther) to the female part (stigma), enabling fertilization and seed production. In self-pollination, pollen grains are transferred from the anther to the stigma of the same flower, another flower of the same plant.

However, pollen transfer is predominantly facilitated by wind, water, and animals, primarily insects and birds. Pollinators, in a way, are the guardians of our ecosystems.

In wind pollination (also called anemophily), pollen is distributed by wind. About 12 percent of plants across the globe are pollinated by anemophily, including cereal crops like rice and corn and other prominent crop plants like wheat, rye, barley, and oats.

In addition, many pines, spruces, and firs are wind-pollinated. Water pollination occurs in only a few aquatic plants and is highly complicated and derived.