Nectar-producing and pollen-producing sources of Iberian long-tongued Apoidea

Pollination is one of the most fascinating processes in the natural world. Pollination is the way flowering plants reproduce. The process involves the transfer of pollen from the male parts to the female parts of the same or another plant. For some plants, this movement of pollen requires the action of another organism, a pollinator. Plants and their pollinators form a mutualistic relationship, a relationship in which each benefits from the other. In the plant-pollinator relationship, the pollinator benefits by feeding on the food rewards provided by the flower, primarily nectar and pollen. In return, the plant benefits as the pollinator moves from flower to flower, transferring pollen as it feeds on the food rewards. This movement of pollen allows the plant to reproduce and exchange genetic information with other plants. Most flowering plants require relationships with pollinators to reproduce.