Hummingbirds are Proof of the Cost of Sex
If sex had no cost, hummingbirds would not exist. Hummingbirds eat nectar, which is produced by flowers to lure pollinating insects and birds. Nectar is a pure gift by the plant of its hard-won sugar to the hummingbird, a gift given only because the hummingbird will then carry pollen to another plant. To have sex with another plant, the first plant must bribe the pollen carrier with nectar. Nectar is therefore a pure, unadulterated cost incurred by the plant in its quest for sex. If sex had no cost. there would be no hummingbirds.
Notes:
Plants offer nectar to hummingbirds in exchange for their role in plant sex.
Taxonomies:
/society/sex (0.627532)
/pets/birds (0.418156)
/home and garden (0.202099)
Keywords:
Plants offer nectar (0.982190 (positive:0.280834)), hummingbirds (0.836963 (negative:-0.299943)), sex (0.563180 (negative:-0.242246)), pollen carrier (0.561580 (neutral:0.000000)), hard-won sugar (0.533447 (positive:0.683762)), unadulterated cost (0.528162 (neutral:0.000000)), pure gift (0.521961 (positive:0.683762)), plant sex (0.480020 (positive:0.280834)), hummingbird (0.428042 (positive:0.683762)), Proof (0.363688 (positive:0.280834)), insects (0.355681 (neutral:0.000000)), exchange (0.350701 (positive:0.280834)), role (0.350575 (positive:0.280834)), quest (0.346772 (neutral:0.000000)), flowers (0.345743 (neutral:0.000000)), birds (0.345510 (neutral:0.000000))
Concepts:
Flower (0.949627): dbpedia | freebase
Pollination (0.898755): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Plant (0.779162): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Flowering plant (0.680169): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Stamen (0.658137): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Pollen (0.618708): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Animal (0.614966): dbpedia | freebase | opencyc
Plant sexuality (0.606125): dbpedia | freebase
The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature
