AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Male pine cones produce pollen, which is like a powder. The male cones release their pollen, which is carried around the air by blowing wind, and hopefully to another female pine cone on a different pine tree. If the pollen reaches a female pine cone, this process is called pollination.

Detailed explanation-2: -A method is provided for asexually propagating pine trees, preferably loblolly pine, by vegatative propagation. According to this method, pine seedlings are hedged by severing the main stem and detaching the branches so that only one lateral branch is left intact and attached to the remaining main stem.

Detailed explanation-3: -Conifers are monoecious plants that produce both male and female cones, each making the necessary gametes used for fertilization.

Detailed explanation-4: -All conifers produce male and female cones. Sometimes on the same tree, sometimes not. The pinecones we see are only the female cones. The male cones are much smaller and not showy.

Detailed explanation-5: -For conifers, pollination involves the transfer of pollen grains from a pollen cone to a seed cone, where they will fertilize the ovules (seeds before they are fertilized by pollen). The process is called wind-pollination, and the lightweight grains are easily borne on the gentlest of breezes.