Practical pollination biology -OG

general courses
optional courses

Students should have a basic botanical knowledge (high school level). It is suggested to complete Plant pollination biology lecture prior to the course.

Classroom and field classes

The aim of the course is to prepare students to conduct basic research in pollination biology. During the practicals students learn the most popular techniques used in studies of floral morphology and rewards, plant breeding and pollination systems, pollinator effectiveness and plant-pollinator relationships.

Five practicals include:

1. Analysis of floral morphology, floral rewards, pollen presentation and nectar presentation systems. Basic analyses of nectar sugar concentration and amino acid profile, stigma receptivity, and experimental testing of plant breeding systems.

2. Basics of field experiment: pollinator observations and capture, techniques of assessing pollinator effectiveness (investigation of body pollen loads, pollen deposited on stigmas. Non-invasive investigation of insects' body pollen loads. Setting the field experiment.

3. and 4. Conducting small scale field experiment (in the Botanic Garden)

5. Data analysis and presentation.

Dafni A. et al. 2005 Practical pollination biology. Enviroquest, Cambridge, Ontario.

Kearns C.A. & Inouye D.W. 1993. Techniques for pollination biologists. University Press of Colorado, Niwot.

Proctor M., Yeo P. & Lack A. 1996. Natural History of Pollination. Harper Collins Publishers, London.

Willmer P. 2011. Pollination and floral ecology. Princeton UP, Princeton, Oxford.

After completing the course students know:

- that experiment is a base for scientific investigation of the world

- how to se up field experiments

- how to interpret the results of the field observations

- the rewards flowers offer to pollinators

- floral adaptations to maximize pollen export and receipt

After completing the course students are able to:

- identify floral elements and secretory structures

- identify phases of stigma receptivity and pollen presentation

- identify floral adaptations towards various pollination vectors

- plan and conduct a simple experiment testing breeding ans pollination system of flowering plant species

- use scientific literature in the field of pollination biology

- use advanced techniques and tools in pollination biology

- critically select and analyze scientific information

After completing the course students:

- broaden their interest in biological sciences

- understand the role of animals in the process of pollination and the need to conserve threatend pollinator species

- are able to work in a team

Attendance at the practicals (one absence over the whole course is allowed), conducting and presenting the results of the field experiment (the presentation will be marked according to the standard marking scale: 5 (very good) - (failed).