Plant Biology

Pollination

The transfer of pollen from male to female plant parts, enabling fertilization. Pollination can be self (same plant) or cross (different plants).

Used in the Books

This term appears in 9 chapters:

Resource Dynamics Circadian Rhythms

"...yone - larks, owls, hummingbirds - hits a trough at 2:00 PM, the post-lunch dip that explains siesta cultures worldwide. These are your biological pollination windows - specific hours when your system is primed for specific work. The SCN doesn't just create rhythms; it creates windows of opportunity. **T..."

Communication and Signaling Mycorrhizal Networks

"...dination**: Mycorrhizal networks may help coordinate flowering timing, fruiting, and senescence across forest stands. Synchronized flowering improves pollination success (more pollen available when all individuals flower together); synchronized fruiting overwhelms seed predators (mast seeding)."

Adaptation and Evolution Coevolution and Arms Races

"Flowering plants and pollinators didn't evolve to destroy each other - they co-evolved to mutual prosperity, creating a $200+ billion global pollination economy. Visa and Mastercard don't fight to the death - they cooperate on infrastructure and both earn 50% margins. Most companies in destructive ar..."

Scale and Complexity Scaling Laws

"Don't eliminate all coordination - eliminate unnecessary coordination. Shared learning, culture building, and cross-pollination of ideas require coordination. Engineering teams need some coordination to avoid duplicating infrastructure."

Scale and Complexity Network Topology

"Innovation often emerges from combining ideas from separate domains - brokers who span domains facilitate cross-pollination. Implementation: - Hire boundary-spanners: Individuals with experience across domains (engineering + design, technical + commercial). - **Cr..."

And 4 more chapters...

Biological Context

About 75% of flowering plants require animal pollinators. Flowers evolved colors, scents, and shapes to attract specific pollinators. Pollinator decline threatens food security since many crops require pollination. Some plants have mechanisms to prevent self-pollination.

Business Application

Cross-pollination of ideas between industries, companies, or teams drives innovation. Employees who move between companies, consultants, and conferences act as pollinators spreading practices and concepts.

Related Terms

Tags

plantsreproductionecology