Earth’s first flower was pollinated by insects

Australian scientists have recently shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the pollinators of the first flowers to bloom on Earth more than 140 million years ago. Although plants had been around for millions of years before flowers appeared, the blooming of these vibrant flowers marked an important milestone in plant development.

Place plays a part

Researchers have revealed that insects were crucial in pollinating these early flowers. In a study published in New Phytologist journal, Australian scientists presented evidence supporting the idea that insects were the first pollinators. They found that, with a few exceptions, a remarkable 86 per cent of flowering plant species throughout history relied on insects for pollination.

Even today, about 90 per cent of flowering plant species, known as “angiosperms,” which encompass about three hundred to four hundred thousand varieties, depend on insects for reproduction. These plants produce pollen on their flowers as part of the seed formation process. To ensure seed formation, pollen must be transferred between flowers.

Insects are very effective carriers of pollen and most of today’s flowering plants depend on them for pollination. Flowers attract insects through various means, such as colour and scent, while insects benefit from pollen and nectar as food sources. This symbiotic relationship has proven to be mutually advantageous.

Most efficient pollen carriers

However, it is worth noting that some flowers employ alternative means of pollen transfer, including vertebrates, wind, or water. While small insects have been identified as the most efficient pollen carriers, recent research on insect fossils suggests that certain insects may have been pollinators even before the first flowers emerged.

To unravel this mystery, the researchers collected data on the pollination systems of 1,160 plant species dating to the late Cretaceous period, spanning between 145 and 66 million years ago. They created a comprehensive “family tree” illustrating the evolution of four different pollination methods over time. This not only revealed the current pollinators of these plants, but also shed light on their ancestral pollinators.

The research findings indicated that throughout the history of angiosperm plants, insects were responsible for pollinating flowers 86 percent of the time. The study also revealed evidence of pollination by birds, bats, and wind.

Animal-mediated pollination

The researchers found that animal-mediated pollination, including birds, bats, small mammals, and lizards, had evolved independently at least 39 times.

Surprisingly, in 26 percent of these cases, it eventually morphed into insect pollination. Wind pollination, on the other hand, occurred even more frequently, with 42 cases identified.

The study revealed that wind pollination was more prevalent in higher latitudes and open areas, while animal pollination thrived in dense rainforests near the equator.

The exact identity of the first insects that pollinated the flowers remains uncertain. However, researchers have ruled out the possibility that bees are the original pollinators, as evidence suggests that bees arose after these first flowers.

Considering that most of the earliest preserved flowers found as fossils are exceptionally small, experts speculate that the pollinators could have been small flies, beetles, mosquitoes, or similar insects that are now extinct.

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