How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals

• Published in: Oikos Vol. 120; no. 3; pp. 321 - 326
• Main Authors: Ollerton, Jeff, Winfree, Rachael, Tarrant, Sam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.03.2011; Blackwell Publishers; Blackwell
• Subjects: Angiospermae; Angiosperms; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; crops; ecologists; ecosystems; Flowering plants; Flowers; Forum; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Insect pollination; issues and policy; latitude; Plant ecology; Plant reproduction; Plants; Pollen; Pollinating insects; Pollination; Pollinators; Species; Species diversity; surveys; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Tropical rain forests; Wind; Spermatophyta; Angiospermae

It is clear that the majority of flowering plants are pollinated by insects and other animals, with a minority utilising abiotic pollen vectors, mainly wind. However there is no accurate published calculation of the proportion of the ca 352 000 species of angiosperms that interact with pollinators....