Ezo Mpukane Zilizothe—Ngaba Ziluncedo Ngakumbi Kunokuba Ucinga?
INKOLISO yethu izijonga iimpukane njengenkathazo okanye njengeziyingozi ngokupheleleyo kwibutho labantu. Kodwa iingcaphephe zebhayoloji zifumanise ukuba iimpukane, nangona zisenokuba ziyakhathaza, ziluncedo gqitha kunokuba sisenokucinga.
Iindidi zazo ezininzi zichitha imini zityelela iintyatyambo, ezifana neendawo ekufumaneka kuzo ukutya okusele kulungile zinika abaxumi bazo abazizinambuzane incindi nomungu (pollen). Zimbi iimpukane zinokukhupha ezi zondlo kumungu—oko akungomsebenzi nje omncinane—zixhomekeke koku kutya kunik’ amandla ukuze zikhulise amaqanda azo.
Njengoko zityelela iintyatyambo ezahlukeneyo, iimpukane ngokungenakuphepheka zichola iinkozo ezincangathi zomungu, ezithi nca emizimbeni yazo. Enye impukane eyathi yahlolisiswa ngokucokisekileyo ziingcaphephe zebhayoloji yayineenkozo zomungu ezili-1200 emzimbeni wayo! Njengoko kuye kwenziwa uphando olungakumbi ngendima yeempukane kumvumvuzelwano (pollination), izazinzulu ziye zafumanisa ukuba zimbi iintyatyambo zixhomekeke kuzo ukuze ziphile.
Iphephancwadi iNatural History lichaza udederhu lolingelo oluye lwenziwa eColorado, kuMntla Merika. Iimpukane eziqhelekileyo ekuthiwa ziimuscoid ezifana neempukane eziqhelekileyo zasekhaya, zafefwa ngomgutyana onemibala eqaqambileyo ukuze zifunyanwe ngokulula. Emva kokuba behlole umsebenzi wabo wemihla ngemihla, abaphengululi bamangaliswa kukufumanisa ukuba kwezinye iintyatyambo zasendle iimpukane ngoothunywashe ababalulekileyo bomvumvuzelwano kuneenyosi yaye ziye zabhabhela kumgama okude gqitha kuneenyosi.
Ubaluleke kangakanani umsebenzi weempukane? Ezinye iintyatyambo zazigqunywe ngomnatha ukuze zingatyelelwa ziimpukane. Ezi ntyatyambo zazingavelisi mbewu kwaphela—ngokungafaniyo nezikufuphi ezazivelisa iziqhamo ezazifumene umvumvuzelwano ngeempukane. Nangona ezinye iintyatyambo ngokuyintloko zazifumene umvumvuzelwano ngeenyosi, kwimeko yezinye iindidi ezinjengeflekisi yasendle okanye intyatyambo yasendle igeranium, kwezinye iindawo iimpukane zenze ama-90 ekhulwini alo msebenzi.
Baqukumbela ngelithini uCarol Kearns noDavid Inouye, ababini kwabo baphengululi? “Ngoko kwiintyatyambo zasendle ezininzi ezikwiiColorado Rockies, iimpukane ziyazodlula iinyosi, amabhabhathane neengcungcu . . . Ngaphandle kwezi zinambuzane, inkoliso yabantu ezifumanisa zinezothe, uninzi lweentyatyambo zasendle ezenza ukutyelela loo mathafa zikuwo kube luyolo beziya kusilela ukuvelisa imbewu.” Alithandabuzeki elokuba, iimpukane ziluncedo!