How Can Ants Pollinate Flowers?
WouterTraditionally, ants have been considered nectar thieves. However, these insects also contribute to plant protection and seed dispersal. They also secrete a natural substance which acts as an antibiotic. These insects may also interact with other floral visitors.
Ants are small creatures, rarely more than a few millimeters in length. They usually do not have wings, and therefore cannot carry pollen. They also possess mandibles that are not ideal for collecting nectar. They are also constantly on the move, often from one place to another. They may also pass through flowers while doing other business.
Some plant species are highly dependent on ants for their pollination. This is because of their diminutive stature, which allows them to avoid contact with the stigmas and anthers. Other species that rely on ants for their pollination include knotweed Polygonum cascadense and alpine nailwort Leporella fimbriata.
In order to understand the role of ants as pollinators, an experiment was carried out to test their effect on pollen germination. Pollen from five different plant species were tested against five individual worker ants from each species.
Interestingly, both the Conospermum canaliculatum and Grevillea leucopteris species were chosen for this experiment. These two species are self-incompatible, meaning that their flowers cannot be pollinated by bees. They also have a strongly developed self-incompatibility system that prevents embryo development once the flowers are self-fertilized. This behavior may result in a lower reproductive output of freely exposed plants.
For the experiment, a total of 20 observation units were distributed over 13 randomly selected plants. Each ant was observed for five minutes. A new microscope slide was used for each ant.
