Problems for Pollinators, Part 2: Declining Biodiversity

Decreasing plant biodiversity in pollinator habitats and changes in agricultural methods have had a negative impact on insect pollinators. Weed species, non-cropped border areas, and increased biodiversity around crop areas improves habitat for both domestic and wild bee species, which leads to improved survival outcomes and enhanced pollination services (Nicholls & Altieri, 2012).

For E. nigrita, a species of bee that feeds exclusively on the nectar of the sweet passion fruit, domestic populations of these bees are essential in order to maintain production in crops sweet passion fruit - especially since this plant is not able to self-pollinate (da Silva, Gomes Bordon, da Rocha Filho, & Garófalo, 2012). Even though E. nigrita only feeds on the nectar of the passion fruit, thus pollinating individual plants as the bee travels from nectar source to nectar source, E. nigrita requires supplementary pollen sources in order to gather enough protein and other nutrients for survival (da Silva et al., 2012) . Inclusive agricultural practices that support biodiversity in pollinator habitats not only supports the welfare of bee populations but also increases profit by reducing the amount of hand pollination that would otherwise be necessary for crop cultivation if faced with a lack of pollinators (da Silva et al., 2012).

Supporting the biodiversity of both managed and natural landscapes in pollinator ecosystems is crucial in order to maintain and increase populations of native pollinators, which are needed in order to support the otherwise irreplaceable services of natural pollinating insects.

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Bioversity International. (2014). Ecosystem services and resilience. Retrieved from: http://visual.ly/ecosystem-services-and-resilience

Da Silva, C., Gomes Bordon, N., Da Rocha Filho, L., & Garófalo, C. (2012). The importance of plant diversity in maintaining the pollinator bee, Eulaema nigrita (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in sweet passion fruit fields. Revista De Biología Tropical, 60(4). http://dx.doi.org/10.15517/rbt.v60i4.2073

Nicholls, C., & Altieri, M. (2012). Plant biodiversity enhances bees and other insect pollinators in agroecosystems. A review. Agronomy For Sustainable Development, 33(2), 257-274. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13593-012-0092-y