POLLINATION AND POLLEN ENERGETICS IN MEDITERRANEAN ECOSYSTEMS

Most plants in Mediterranean ecosystems are insect pollinated, with pollen being the main reward to pollinators, 70% of which are bees and flies. Pollen of wind-pollinated plants contained less energy than that of insect-pollinated plants; there was no difference between insect-pollinated dicots and insect-pollinated monocots. The median date of flowering estimated for each of the plant species did not vary significantly either with number of pollinator species or with the energy content of pollen. The reasons for the differing values of pollen energy content are discussed, in particular, its relation to the type of pollen reserves, length of the flower style, and pollination enhancement. -from Authors