Plant Needs, Pollination & Seed Dispersal Lab

Plants need four basic things to grow: sunlight, water, air (carbon dioxide), and nutrients from soil.

• Sunlight — powers photosynthesis to make food
• Water — carries nutrients and keeps cells firm
• Air (CO2) — raw material for photosynthesis
• Nutrients — minerals from soil for growth

Too little or too much of any ingredient leads to poor growth or wilting. The right balance keeps a plant healthy.

Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part of a flower to the female part. This is needed for seeds to form.

Pollinators carry pollen between flowers:

• Bees collect pollen while gathering nectar
• Butterflies pick up pollen as they feed
• Hummingbirds transfer pollen with their beaks
• Wind carries lightweight pollen through the air

Different flowers attract different pollinators based on their color, shape, and scent:

• Bees — attracted to blue, yellow, and white flowers
• Butterflies — prefer flat, clustered flowers
• Hummingbirds — seek tubular red or orange flowers
• Wind — pollinates grasses and many trees

Without pollinators, most flowering plants could not reproduce and many food crops would fail.

Seeds need to travel away from the parent plant to find space, light, and nutrients. Plants have evolved several clever dispersal strategies:

• Wind — fluffy or winged seeds float on air currents
• Water — buoyant seeds float to new shores
• Animals (fur) — hooked seeds hitch a ride on passing animals
• Animals (eaten) — seeds pass through digestive systems
• Self-dispersal — pods explode and fling seeds outward