[PCA] Fw: [Pollinator] Small insects transport moss sperm

[Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov]

Did the subject line catch your attention? This interesting article that 
is very nicely summarized by Dr. Bernhardt, below.  The link to the full 
article is also provided.

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist, Division of Scientific Authority-US Fish & Wildlife 
Service-International Affairs
Chair, Medicinal Plant Working Group-Plant Conservation Alliance
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants. 

<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

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----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 07/26/2012 08:43 
AM -----

Peter Bernhardt <bernhap2 at slu.edu> 
Sent by: pollinator-bounces+patricia_deangelis=fws.gov at lists.sonic.net
07/25/2012 03:35 PM

To
Bee United <beemonitoring at yahoogroups.com>, pollinator at nappc.org, Peter 
Raven <peter.raven at mobot.org>, "Robert A. Raguso" <rar229 at cornell.edu>, 
"Moran, Robbin" <rmoran at nybg.org>, Alan Graham <Alan.Graham at mobot.org>
cc

Subject
[Pollinator] Small insects transport moss sperm






We think of insects as this planet's primary transporters of pollen but 
hundreds (thousands?) of plant species enjoy sexual reproduction without 
making a single grain of pollen, cone or flower.  Over the last six years 
some authorities have noted that mites and spring-tails carry the sperm of 
some moss species.  Does this occur because these little arthropods like 
to live in moist, moss beds or do mosses produce something to attract 
them?  Since mites and springtails are "visually challenged" there should 
be a scent cue.  Please go to the link below and read the Abstract. 
 Popularized accounts of this research are now on other websites as well. 
 If mosses employ odor as a common attractant to turn arthropods into 
sperm taxis some important, college text books on introductory botany will 
have to make an addition.  Could this also mean that the haploid, 
bisexual, prothallus stage in the life-cycle of most ferns does the same 
thing?

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature11330.html  

Peter Bernhardt_______________________________________________
Pollinator mailing list
Pollinator at lists.sonic.net
http://lists.sonic.net/mailman/listinfo/pollinator
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