Relationships essential to pollination: Brazil nut tree

The Brazil nut tree relies on the orchid bee for pollination, which in turn relies on certain species of orchids for reproduction.

Biomimicry Taxonomy

	Maintain community >
	Provide ecosystem services >
	Pollinate

Biomimetic Application Ideas

Fostering beneficial interdependence within communities, industries

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[Collapse all sections] Summary

"Efforts intended to create habitats are often unsuccessful. When farmers tried to grow Brazil nuts commercially, they cut down tropical rainforest and planted Brazil nut trees in rows, plantation-style. But these trees depend on orchid bees for pollination, and without the natural orchids of the rainforest, there were not enough orchid bees in the plantations. Hence no nuts were produced." (Forsyth 1992:41)

About the inspiring organism

Bertholletia excelsa
Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.

Some organism data provided by: LecyPages: The Lecythidaceae Pages
Organism/taxonomy data provided by:
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2008 Annual Checklist

Bioinspired products and application ideas

Application Ideas: Fostering beneficial interdependence within communities, industries.

Industrial Sector(s) interested in this strategy: Management, manufacturing, retail, agriculture

Experts

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
David Roubik

References

Forsyth, A. 1992. Exploring the World of Insects: The Equinox Guide to Insect Behaviour. Camden House.

Relationships essential to pollination: Brazil nut tree

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