March is the season of sparrows and flowers. The sparrow flower planted at abibuqi flower world farm in shendushui Yao Township, Shixing County, Shaoguan is in the flowering season. On the morning of March 25, researchers from the Institute of zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences went to the farm to conduct field investigation to understand the flowering and Fruiting of sparrow flowers and the transmission of pollen by vector animals to sparrow flowers.
The forest area where abibuqi flower world farm in shendushui Yao township is located has a good ecological environment and many animals such as squirrels and birds, which matches the diversity of grass finch varieties. These animals spread pollen for the sparrow flower, which enables the sparrow flower to bear a large number of fruits every year. This kind of sound regional animal and plant ecological chain configuration is relatively rare, which has attracted the attention of researchers of the Institute of zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Shaoguan Shixing sparrow flowers bloom all over the branches, attracting squirrels and other animals
Since March 2021, researchers of the Institute of zoology of the Chinese Academy of sciences have set up scientific research observation points here to carry out the investigation of finch pollinators, measure the ecological data of finch community, monitor the flower visiting situation of animals with infrared camera, and study the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between animals and finch.
"This ecological environment is of great research value and provides a good condition support for us to carry out the investigation of sparrow pollinators." Fan Mingliang, a staff member of the Institute of zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said. Through consulting the investigation records of infrared camera and on-site investigation, the staff found that the animals that eat nectar mainly include squirrels, mice, birds, bees, ants and so on. "At present, it is found that squirrels and mice visit the inflorescence, and some pollen will be ejected into them when they eat nectar. When they eat the next single flower or inflorescence, they will indirectly form pollination." Fan Mingliang said that squirrels also play a dual and mutually beneficial role in sparrow flowers, that is, pollination and podcasting.
Researchers found that in some places, sparrow flowers only bloom year after year without producing a fruit, because the surrounding ecological environment is not perfect and there is no suitable "animal matchmaker" to build a key bridge from flowering to fruit. Their research not only proves the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between squirrels and sparrows, but also explains the importance of strengthening forestry construction and promoting ecological restoration in Shixing County.
Over the years, Shixing County has adhered to the development strategy of establishing the county by ecology and continuously strengthened the construction of forestry ecology. The excellent ecological environment has created a perfect regional animal and plant ecological chain, provided a good habitat for wild animals and plants, and actively cooperated with the course investigation of the Institute of zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The large-scale of the sparrow community in abibuqi flower world farm not only facilitates scientific research, but also attracts many tourists to visit and relax during the season of sparrow flowers in full bloom from March to April every year, contributing to the development of Rural Revitalization. At the same time, it also becomes a window to show the effectiveness of forestry construction in Shixing County and the improvement of forest ecological environment.
