UPSC Prelims 2012 Q91: Environment & Ecology – Ecosystems & Ecology Concepts
Consider the following kinds of organisms:
1. Bat
2. Bee
3. Bird
Which of the above is/are pollinating agent/agents?
- (a) 1 and 2 only
- (b) 2 only
- (c) 1 and 3 only
- (d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Pollinating agents
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma.
Many kinds of animals do this while feeding on nectar or pollen.
| Organism | Pollinating agent? | Name of the process | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Bat | Yes | Chiropterophily | Banana, baobab, kadamba |
| 2. Bee | Yes | Entomophily | Most fruit crops, mustard, sunflower |
| 3. Bird | Yes | Ornithophily | Sunbirds and hummingbirds on silk cotton and coral tree |
Other pollinating agents:
| Agent | Process |
|---|---|
| Wind | Anemophily (grasses, maize) |
| Water | Hydrophily (Vallisneria) |
| Butterflies and moths | Entomophily |
Bees are the most important pollinators of crops.
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. A bird is also a pollinating agent.
- (b) Incorrect. The bat and the bird are pollinating agents too, not the bee alone.
- (c) Incorrect. The bee is the best-known pollinating agent of all.
- (d) CORRECT. The bat, the bee and the bird are all pollinating agents.
Key point
Pollinators: bees and insects (entomophily), birds (ornithophily), bats (chiropterophily), wind (anemophily), water (hydrophily).
Remember
Bat, bee, bird: all pollinators.
Common mistakes
- Thinking only insects pollinate flowers.
- Forgetting bats, which pollinate night-blooming flowers.
- Mixing up the terms: ornithophily is for birds, chiropterophily for bats.
Exam tip
Any animal that visits flowers for food can carry pollen. All three listed do.
Sources
- NCERT Class XII — Biology, Ch 2 (Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants)
- Food and Agriculture Organization — Pollinators and pollination services