Plant and Pollinator Diversity and Protection in School Gardens
摘要
The fascinating diversity of flowering plants found on our planet has largely co-evolved with an enormous diversity of pollinating animals. Plants show adaptations in their floral structures, which specifically attract their pollinators, which, in turn, have adaptations in their body structure, especially those related to food intake, and in their foraging behavior, which optimizes nectar and pollen collection. The fascinating diversity of plant-pollinator interactions is increasingly difficult to observe in man-made environments depleted of natural vegetation. School gardens, which provide places for a wide variety of flowering plants and their animal visitors, can be important sites for biodiversity conservation. In addition, such sites can “catch the eye” of students and encourage them to first “just” sit and observe, and subsequently increase their interest and motivation to study the natural wonders around them. The chapter provides an introduction to flowering plants, pollinating animals, and their adaptations for interacting with each other. It concludes with suggestions on how school gardens can promote the diversity of flowering plants and pollinators, as well as general ideas on how different aspects of to plant-pollinator interactions can be used for educational purposes.