Pollen DNA barcoding networks which are made up of all the interactions between plants and the animals that facilitate their pollination. Identifying the pollen carried on insects helps scientists understand what plants are being visited by which insects. Insects can also have homologous features making them difficult to identify and are themselves sometimes identified through genetic barcoding (usually of the CO1 region). Every insect that visits a flower isn’t necessarily a pollinator. Many lack features such as hairs allowing them to carry pollen while others avoid the pollen-laden anthers to steal nectar. Pollination networks are made more accurate by including what pollen is
Pollen count Pollen count Pollen count is the measurement of the number of grains of pollen in a cubic meter of air. High pollen counts can sometimes lead to increased rates of an allergic reaction for those with allergic disorders. Usually, the counts are announced for specific plants such as grass, ash, or olive. These are tailored to common plants in the measured areas. Mild winters with warmer days lead to an increase in pollen counts while colder winters lead to delayed pollen release. In the UK, the public announcement of the pollen count was popularised by Dr. William Frankland, an immunologist.