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WHC/NRCS Fish and Wildlife Habitat Management Leaflet Series This month's featured leaflet: Native Pollinators (4 MB)
Pollination is an ecosystem process that has evolved over millions of years to benefit both flowering plants and pollinators. Pollinators visit flowers for many reasons, including feeding, pollen collection and warmth. When pollinators visit flowers, pollen rubs or drops onto their bodies. The pollen is then transferred to another flower or a different part of the same flower as the pollinator moves from one location to the next. This process is a vital stage in the life cycle of all flowering plants and is necessary to start seed and fruit production in flowers. Not only do pollinators provide essential services in nature, they are also necessary for healthy, productive agricultural ecosystems as they ensure the production of full-bodied fruit and fertile seed sets in many crops. Although some plant species rely on wind or water to transfer pollen from one flower to the next, the vast majority (almost 90%) of all plant species need the help of animals for this task. There are approximately 200,000 different species of animals that act as pollinators around the world. Of these, about 1,000 are vertebrates, such as birds, bats and small mammals, and the rest are invertebrates, including flies, beetles, butterflies, moths and bees. Read more about native pollinators by downloading this month’s featured leaflet from the NRCS Wildlife Habitat Management Institute (WHMI) or by clicking on the link above. For more information, please contact: |
