The top three global causes of pollinator loss are habitat destruction, followed by land management – primarily the grazing, fertilizers and crop monoculture of farming – and then widespread pesticide use, according to [a new] study. The effect of climate change comes in at number four, although data are limited.
The biggest direct risk to humans across all regions is “crop pollination deficit”: falls in quantity and quality of food and biofuel crops. Experts ranked the risk of crop yield “instability” as serious or high across two-thirds of the planet – from Africa to Latin America – where many rely directly on pollinated crops through small-holder farming.
Dr. Tom Breeze, co-author and Ecological Economics Research Fellow at the University of Reading, said: “This study highlights just how much we still don’t know about pollinator decline and the impacts this has on human societies, particularly in parts of the developing world.
“While we have data on how pollinators are doing in regions like Europe, there are significant knowledge gaps in many others. More research is needed on a global level so we can really understand the problems we face, and how we might address them.”