Read the passage and answer the following question:
In flowering plants, the production of male and female gametes occurs within the pollen grain and embryo sac, respectively. Since both types of gametes are immobile, they require a mechanism to be brought together for fertilisation to take place. Pollination is the process that serves this purpose. Pollination refers to the transfer of pollen grains, which are released from the anther to the stigma of a pistil. Flowering plants have developed various remarkable adaptations to accomplish pollination. They rely on external agents to facilitate the process of pollination.
Which of the following groups of animals are the dominant pollinating agents?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Insects such as bees
Many kinds of animals visit flowers and carry pollen, such as bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds and bats. Among all of them, insects, and bees in particular, are the dominant biotic pollinating agents. Larger animals pollinate only a few species.
Option (1) Birds such as sunbirds and humming birds — Incorrect. Sunbirds and humming birds are common pollinators, but they are not the dominant group. Far more flowers are pollinated by insects than by birds.
Option (2) Primates such as lemurs — Incorrect. Lemurs are primates that have been reported as pollinators in some species only. They are an unusual case, not the main group.
Option (3) Insects such as bees — Correct. Insects, mainly bees, pollinate the largest number of flowers. Insect-pollinated flowers are large, colourful, fragrant and rich in nectar, and their pollen is sticky so that it sticks to the body of the visiting insect.
Option (4) Arboreal (tree-dwelling) rodents — Incorrect. Arboreal rodents, like lemurs, are larger animals that have been reported as pollinators in some species. They are not the dominant pollinating group.
NCERT Extract:
Pollination – “… Majority of flowering plants use a range of animals as pollinating agents. Bees, butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, ants, moths, birds (sunbirds and humming birds) and bats are the common pollinating agents. … Among the animals, insects, particularly bees are the dominant biotic pollinating agents. Even larger animals such as some primates (lemurs), arboreal (tree-dwelling) rodents, or even reptiles (gecko lizard and garden lizard) have also been reported as pollinators in some species.”