Parallel Declines in Pollinators and Insect-Pollinated Plants in Britain and the Netherlands

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2006-07, Vol.313 (5785), p.351-354
• Main Authors: Biesmeijer, J. C., Roberts, S. P. M., Reemer, M., Ohlemüller, R., Edwards, M., Peeters, T., Schaffers, A. P., Potts, S. G., Kleukers, R., Thomas, C. D., Settele, J., Kunin, W. E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal Migration; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Apoidea; Bees; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; british butterflies; climate-change; crisis; Diptera; Ecosystem; Environment; Extinct species; Flowers; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Honey bees; Insect pollination; Insects; Netherlands; Plant reproduction; Plants; Pollen; Pollinating insects; Pollination; Population Dynamics; Species; Species diversity; Synecology; Syrphidae; Terrestrial ecosystems; United Kingdom; Wildlife habitats
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1127863

Despite widespread concern about declines in pollination services, little is known about the patterns of change in most pollinator assemblages. By studying bee and hoverfly assemblages in Britain and the Netherlands, we found evidence of declines (preversus post-1980) in local bee diversity in both countries; however, divergent trends were observed in hoverflies. Depending on the assemblage and location, pollinator declines were most frequent in habitat and flower specialists, in univoltine species, and/or in nonmigrants. In conjunction with this evidence, outcrossing plant species that are reliant on the declining pollinators have themselves declined relative to other plant species. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest a causal connection between local extinctions of functionally linked plant and pollinator species.