Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the anthers (male structures) to the stigma (female receptive surface) of flowers, enabling fertilization and subsequent seed and fruit formation in seed plants. It can occur via abiotic vectors such as wind and water or biotic agents including insects, birds, bats, and other animals. Pollination biology investigates floral traits, plant–pollinator interactions, pollen viability and compatibility, and temporal/spatial patterns of pollen flow. It is central to studies of plant reproduction, gene flow, population genetics, coevolution, and community ecology, and underpins many agroecological and conservation research programs focused on pollinator services and plant reproductive success.
When we think of bees, we often think of flowers. The more flowers, the better, right? Well, not exactly. Like us, bees need to consume specific nutrients in suitable amounts and combinations.
Plants & Animals
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Bumblebees are only an inch long, but they help power the global food system. Roughly one-third of the food we grow depends on pollinators like bees—and those bees are regularly decimated by pesticides.
Ecology
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The honeybee mite, Varroa destructor, finally breached Australia's biosecurity defenses four years ago, and is here to stay. Even more concerning, our standard treatments—such as specialized pesticides—are already failing.
Ecology
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Bee species that nest in plant stems appear to be at the greatest short-term risk from increasing temperatures due to climate change, while those that nest in the ground are better able to evade extreme heat, according to ...
Plants & Animals
Jun 15, 2026
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Washington State University is diving into its extensive history of cherry breeding to better understand the genetics underlying new, tasty fruits that benefit consumers and growers.
Plants & Animals
Jun 11, 2026
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A new study by plant biologists at the University of California, Santa Cruz, challenges a longstanding idea that stems from the large number of flowers in the mountains of Central and South America that have evolved to be ...
Evolution
Jun 4, 2026
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The nocturnal mating rituals of hairy scarab beetles are helping pollinate one of Perth's most common native trees, in a discovery that highlights the unusual adaptations of Australian plants and the unexpected pollination ...
Plants & Animals
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Conservationists are in a race against time to prevent one of the world's rarest island plants from disappearing forever, after seeds collected from the only surviving wild Dendroseris neriifolia tree arrived at the Millennium ...
Plants & Animals
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In a lot behind a disused West Virginia gas station at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, Roy Funkhouser is surrounded by about a dozen beekeepers and countless buzzing bees.
Ecology
May 19, 2026
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Scientists from Trinity and Technical University of Denmark have developed a new radar-based technique that could address a critical gap in global conservation efforts, by transforming how we identify and track the insects ...
Ecology
May 9, 2026
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