Eco
Flowers Losing Their Scent
Bill Machon
A new study shows that pollution from car exhaust is to blame for flowers and plants losing their scent all over the world. Bees and other insects cannot pollinate plants if they can't find them. Coupled with the recent catastrophic decline in bee populations across the globe, the study has determined that a disturbing cycle of dying insects, and plants that can't reproduce is underway, and its a downward spiral that threatens the world's food supply.
Creative Commons Image: "highway flowers" by greg westfall on Flickr
5-13-08
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German bee die-off
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,552556,00.html
"Bees in the German state of Baden-Württemburg are dying by the hundreds of thousands. In some places more than half of hives have perished. Government officials say the causes are unclear -- but beekeepers are blaming new pesticides."
This isn't being linked to the Colony Collapse Disorder that continues to ravage hives in the US. Different circumstances, but the same high level of devastation.
Revelations
I'm no bible scholar but I remember discussing the bee colony collapse last spring with a friend who made mention to a passage in Revelations that speaks of grapes and olives as the fruits of the apocalypse. As you know these two items grow on vines and do not necessitate pollination for widespread agriculture.
I hope this is a coincidence.
Corn, to my understanding, doesn't require pollination either, but depletes the nutrients in the ground so completely that farmers must seed the harvested soil with alfalfa in order to replenish vital nutrients.
Hemp seeds and milk derived from hemp seeds are becoming staples in my diet as they contain a lot of protein, vitamins, omega acids and antioxidants. I know that the plant is a weed so it basically will grow anywhere. Does anyone know if this plant also requires pollination for reproduction?
Yes it does!
Hemp is primarily a dioecious plant, which means that male and female reproductive organs are produced on separate plants. Thus in order for the female plant to produce seeds it must be pollinated. Pollination can occur through many different means either biotic (bees, insects, birds) or abiotically (wind, rain, etc). However, the flowers of a male hemp plant are not at all attractive to pollinators such as bees, so most pollination of this plant occurs through abiotic factors anyway.
But! in the event of a biotic pollination crisis the hemp plant has yet another defense mechanism. It is one of several plants that also produces monoecious species (which means that both male and female parts are on the same plant). Pollination for these plants is much easier because male pollen does not have far to travel to get to female organs. Monoecious pollination is also abiotic.
So, here's to hemp for being one of the most versatile plants this earth has been graced with!
Sam
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