Anthecology

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
European honey bee
collects nectar, while pollen collects on its body.

Anthecology, or pollination biology, is the study of

orchids.[2]: 282  Pollination-related interactions between plants and insects are considered mutualistic,[2]: 283  and the relationships between plants and their pollinators have likely led to increased diversity of both angiosperms and the animals that pollinate them.[3]
: 64 

Anthecology brings together many disciplines, such as botany, horticulture, entomology, and ecology.

History

The tulip was a popular subject of study among early anthecologists.

Anthecology began as a descriptive science relying on observation, and more recently has come to rely upon quantitative and experimental studies.[1]: 8 

By the 17th century, the sexual nature of plant reproduction was recognized following the work of

Tulips and maize were popular subjects of study during this time. In 1735, Carl Linnaeus developed a "sexual system" of the classification of seed plants. In the mid-to-late 18th century, Joseph Gottlieb Kölreuter demonstrated that pollen must be transferred from stamen to stigma for reproduction to occur, and also clarified the distinction between nectar and honey.[1]
: 9–14 

In the late 18th century,

pollination syndromes, and additional comprehensive surveys were made by Paul Knuth
.

Anthecology went into decline for several decades, but the field was kept alive by several studies including those of

honey bees by Karl von Frisch in the mid 20th century.[1]
: 9–14 

Anthecology gained a resurgence in the 20th century during the rise of

: 15–22 

Today, the biology of pollination has attracted the attention of scientists, governments,[4][5] and the media, following observations of rapid pollinator decline in the late 20th century, including the unexplained and sudden disappearance of honey bees in a phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Baker, Herbert G (1983). "An Outline of the History of Anthecology, or Pollination Biology". In Leslie Real (ed.). Pollination Biology. Academic Press.
  2. ^ .
  3. .
  4. BusinessWeek. Archived from the original
    on February 22, 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Blumenauer Announces Legislation to Protect Pollinators, Prevent Mass Bee Die-Offs". Blumenauer.house.gov. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved 27 August 2013.

External links