In order to reproduce, most flowering plants rely on animals to move their pollen. In turn, pollinators rely on flowers for food, including both nectar and pollen. If you’re a gardener, you might want to support this partnership by planting flowers. But if you live in an area without a lot of green space, you might wonder whether it’s worth the effort.
Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Laura Russo researches bees and found that they are not influenced by the landscape surrounding flower gardens. Instead, bees focus on specific types of flowers, regardless of their surroundings. For more information on Russo’s findings and insights on planning a garden to attract pollinators, read her full article at The Conversation.
UT is a member of The Conversation, an independent source for news articles and informed analysis written by the academic community and edited by journalists for the general public. Through this partnership, we seek to provide a better understanding of the important work of our researchers. Read more of our articles published by The Conversation on the UT news site.
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Cindi King (865-974-0937, cking126@utk.edu)