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Pollination and Flower Structure

Pollination and Flower Structure

Flowers are the reproductive, seed-producing structures of angiosperms. Typically, flowers consist of sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels. Sepals and petals are the vegetative flower organs. Stamens and carpels are the reproductive organs.

Morphogenesis

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Frequency-dependent Selection

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

Published on: November 25, 2016

Pollinator and Flower Morphology Interact to Affect Pollen Receipt.

Ethan Newman, Allan G Ellis, Bruce Anderson

The American Naturalist

|December 19, 2025

Summary

Pollinator effectiveness varies, impacting plant reproduction. This study shows how different pollinators, like flies and bees, affect pollen receipt differently in two plant species, influencing floral evolution.

Keywords:

male fitness mechanical fit performance surfaces phenotypic selection pollination effectiveness trait matching

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Collection and Identification of Pollen from Honey Bee Colonies

Collection and Identification of Pollen from Honey Bee Colonies

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Last Updated: Jan 8, 2026

Field Experiments of Pollination Ecology: The Case of Lycoris sanguinea var. sanguinea

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Collection and Identification of Pollen from Honey Bee Colonies

Collection and Identification of Pollen from Honey Bee Colonies

Published on: January 19, 2021

Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Botany

Background:

Pollinators are key drivers of plant speciation and floral trait diversification.
Understanding plant-pollinator interactions is crucial for plant reproductive success and community dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how functional trait matching between pollinators and flowers influences pollen receipt.
To analyze the effects of different pollinator types (long-proboscid flies and bees) on pollen receipt in *Tritoniopsis revoluta* and *Nerine humilis*.

Main Methods:

Constructed pollinator performance surfaces based on pollen receipt data from single pollinator visits.
Examined floral morphology variation and its interaction with pollinator functional traits.
Compared pollen receipt patterns across different plant populations and pollinator communities.

Main Results:

Observed divergent pollen receipt surfaces, indicating varied pollinator effectiveness.
Found that functionally different pollinators (flies vs. bees) mediate distinct pollen receipt patterns.
Demonstrated that pollinator effectiveness differs both within and between plant populations.

Conclusions:

Plant reproductive output is significantly influenced by the effectiveness of diverse pollinators in a community.
Functional trait matching plays a critical role in shaping plant adaptation and speciation.
The study highlights the complexity of plant adaptation in multi-pollinator systems.