Increased Competition for Pollen May Lead to Plant Extinctions

A recently completed analysis of 482 field experiments conducted on flowering plants reveals marked deficits in pollination in areas with rich biodiversity as compared to less-diverse ecosystems. Researchers theorize that the abundance of different species results in stronger competition for pollinators and sufficient pollen for maximum fruit production cannot be delivered. It is not known if this is a new pattern due to declines in pollinators or is a chronic problem for plant species in global biodiversity hotspots. The findings raise the question of how habitat destruction and fragmentation are affecting the risk of extinction to plants in such competitive environments.

Link:
Increased Competition for Pollen May Lead to Plant Extinctions from Kansas City infoZine

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 4:26 PM on February 2, 2006

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