What is the Pollinating Agent for Water hyacinth and Water lily?

Aquatic plants are mostly pollinated by water (hydrophilly). For example, in vallisneria, Hydrilla and Zostera water is the source for pollinating flowers. Vallisneria is a dioecious plant meaning both male and female plants are separate.

The female flower reaches on the surface of water by the long stalk while the male flower remains under water. When both flowers mature, staminate flowers release pollen grains on the water surface and reach female flowers through water currents. After pollination and fertilization, the female stalk coils and pulls the fertilized flower below the water surface for further development. Hydrilla and Zostera have male and female flowers on different branches of the same plant. All the above mentioned plants come under submerged category.

However, in free floating aquatic plants such as Eicchornia (water hyacinth), and water lily (Nymphaea) – flowers are present above the water surface. In such plants, pollinating agents are either winds or insects. 

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Why Do Animals Hibernate?

Hibernation is called “winter sleep” in which animals go into a state of inactivity due to cold environmental temperature, short day lengths and limitations of food. It is a survival strategy that animals adopt when the food availability is scarce or difficult to find during a chilly winter season.

During hibernation, animals lower their metabolic processes; it allows animals to use body’s energy reserves at a very slow rate for a long period of time. In other words, hibernation is a means of energy conservation strategy. This way, animals skip the cold and stressful seasons and come out of hibernation when there is abundant of food available and climatic conditions are moderate. Examples of hibernating animals include a variety of amphibians such as frog, reptiles like snakes, insects and mammals like bear and bat. 

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