[Pollinator] Bees and wildflowers decline together

[Ladadams at aol.com]

Bees and wildflowers decline together
Posted: 23 Nov 2006

The diversity of bees and the wildflowers that depend on them for pollination 
are declining simultaneously according to new research in Britain and the 
Netherlands. 
While other studies have documented dwindling numbers of specific pollinating 
insects, this is teh first to suggest large scale losses.

"We were shocked by the decline in plants as well as bees," said Koos 
Biesmeijer, a research fellow at the University of Leeds and leading author of the 
analysis published in the July 21 issue of Science. "if this pattern is 
replicated elsewhere, the 'pollinator services' we take for granted could be at risk."

The researchers compiled biodiversity data from hundreds of sites in the two 
countries and found that bee diversity had declined in nearly 80 per cent of 
them over the past 25 years. Wild plants thar depend on bees for pollination 
similarly declined, though plants that rely largely on wind and water for 
pollination increased in the UK. 

Researchers have estimated the worldwide value of bees as crop pollinators at 
some US$92 billion. The study provides an example of how tightly knit species 
can spiral into "co-extinction" - a phenomenon, scientists have suggested, 
that could mean that current estimates of extinction risks have been 
underestimated by as much as 50 per cent.

Source: World-Watch magazine, November-December issue. See: 
www.worldwatch.org 
© People & the Planet 2000 - 2006


Laurie Davies Adams
Executive Director
Coevolution Institute
423 Washington St. 5th
San Francisco, CA 94111
415 362 1137
http://www.coevolution.org/
http://www.pollinator.org/
http://www.nappc.org/

Bee Ready for National Pollinator Week:  June 24-30, 2007.  Contact us 
for more information at www.pollinator.org 

Our future flies on the wings of pollinators.
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