Picturing Pollen and the Art of Plant Procreation
- Christa Mulder and Katie Spellman
Ever stop to wonder about those pollen grains getting moved around by wind, water or insects? Under a microscope, each grain is a work of art, with intricate shapes and surprising colors. Come join UAF Department of Biology and Wildlife’s Christa Mulder, professor, and Katie Spellman, PhD student, who have become passionate about the beauty of pollen through their research on plants and pollinators. Christa and Katie will show images of the spectacular shapes that pollen grains come in and discuss why these shapes are important to plant reproduction. Learn also how you can be involved in their research by participating in their citizen science flower monitoring project. Microscopes will be projected on the wall and the whole family will be able to explore the hidden beauty of pollen from Alaskan flowers.
- Scanning Electron Microscope image of a pollen grain from the wildflower Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Photo by Laura Scheller