[Pollinator] ARTICLE: Trailblazing research uncovers urban gardens as a hidden powerhouse for pollinators

[Park, Margaret E]

Berly McCoy, Anthropocene, March 31, 2021

Summary: One major source of widespread pollinator decline is a lack of food and, at first glance, the expansive parking lots and paved city blocks in urban areas may appear to contribute to this scarcity. But until now scientists hadn’t measured urban nectar production on a landscape scale. Pockets of green spaces—particularly gardens—in towns and cities may be providing more sustenance for pollinating insects that previously thought.

New work published in the Journal of Ecology suggests that urban areas in the U.K. are a significant source of nectar and floral diversity for insects. The authors of the study aimed to understand how the nectar supply differs between urban and rural areas and where the nectar sources are concentrated in urban settings. It is the first study to quantify nectar in urban areas on the landscape level.

Link to article: https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2021/03/urban-gardeners-have-a-big-role-to-play-in-protecting-pollinators

Link to original article: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2745.13598
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