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A study reveals that a loss of bees creates a shortage of certain crops. Wild bee species have been affected by climate change, habitat loss and the use of toxic pesticides. Meanwhile, managed honeybees have been plagued by disease. Scientific predictions warn that this could lead to a 75% reduction in crops dependent on pollinators. This means that the current decline in bee species could have extreme consequences for global food security.
The research team studied 7 crops grown in 13 US states. 5 of the crops, including blueberries, apples and cherries, showed that a lack of bees impacts how much food can be grown. However, crops that got more attention from bees significantly increased their crop productivity.
In 2017, the bumblebee became the first bee species to be included on the US Endangered Species List after it declined by 87% over the course of 10 years. This is worrying, as wild bees are better at pollinating crops than managed bees. The FAO has also claimed that crop production dependent on pollinators has grown by 30% since 1970, meaning that a decline in bee species could cause specific crops to become rarer and more expensive. Consequently, humans could suffer nutritional deficits in their diets.
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