This document discusses plant reproduction, including the differences between male and female reproductive organs in flowers (pistils and stamens), the process of pollination, various pollinators, self-pollination versus cross-pollination, mechanisms to prevent inbreeding, adaptations for attracting pollinators like bright colors and rewards, co-evolution between plants and pollinators, germination of seeds, conditions required for germination, dormancy, seed dispersal methods, and the role of fruits in seed dispersal.

1. Pistil:
Stamen:
Which one is male
and which one is
female?

2. Plant mating

3. Pollination?
• Transfer of pollen
grains from anther to
stigma

4. Pollinators
• Bees
• Beetles
• Flies
• Wasps
• Butterflies
• Moths
• Birds
• Bats
• Snails
• Rats
• Mice
• Wind
• Water

5. Self vs. Cross
• Self pollination
(black arrow)
– Pollination within
the same plant
• Cross pollination
(red arrow)
– Pollination with
another plant of
the same species

6. Prevention of Inbreeding
• Genetic: incomplete
flowers (some flowers
don’t have both
“male” and “female”
reproductive organs)

7. Prevention of Inbreeding
• Molecular: self-
incompatibility
• Common in wild

8. Preventing inbreeding
• Structural Adaptations
• Distance between
stigma and anther

9. Inbreeding
• Timing: flower at different times
• Receptive stigma at different times
• Production of pollen at different times
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igkjcuw_n_U

10. Co-evolution
• Reciprocal adaptation, pollinator and
flower evolve together
• Adapt to each other

11. How to advertise?
• Large Petals

12. Advertisement
• Bright colours

13. Advertisement
• Big Pollen Load
• Large Stigma

14. Advertisement
• Pollen
guides/indicator

15. Advertisement
• Reward
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h8I3cqpgnA
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=FHaWu2rcP94&feature=related

16. Pollinators
• Insects pollinate about 70% of all
angiosperms
• Crops pollinated by bees provide 30% of
human food

17. Pollinators
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=MQlq5QtRI9o

18. Of Birds, Bees, and Bats
• Bees: see UV range
• Attracted to
yellow/blue
• Flowers with UV
markings
• Scent (1-2 km)
• Hairy abdomen

19. Of Birds, Bees, and Bats
• Birds: Visible light, not
UV
• Red, orange, yellow
• No scent

20. Of Birds, Bees, and Bats
• Bats: can’t see well
• Strong scent
(fermented fruit)
• Bloom at night
• Dull, white petal
flowers

21. Germinate!
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=d26AhcKeEbE&feature=related

22. Conditions for germination
• Dormancy: resting period, metabolic
processes in the embryo cells are very
slow
• Begins: absorption of water and heat from
soil
• Others need oxygen and light

23. Some very needy seeds

24. Begins with the hormones
• Need gibberellins to
be released
• Produce enzymes to
break down storage
molecules
• Once the seed coats
swell, can use oxygen

25. Dispersal
• Tumble weeds
• Wing
• Parachute
• Spines/Barbs

26. Seed Dispersal
• Water
• Animal Behaviour

27. Seed Dispersal
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=zbQ1jWl3AOM

28. Fruit