Biodiversity Value of Pollinators

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Value of Pollinators

To maintain the biodiversity of Europe’s natural areas it is essential to protect our pollinators. More than 90% of wild flowers rely upon pollinators for their reproduction.  Floral diversity is strongly associated with pollinator diversity.    Pollinators are key elements in food webs.  Wild flowers provide food for many animals in the form of vegetation, fruit, berries and nuts.  Adequate pollination is therefore essential to ensure the survival of animals and birds which feed upon these wild plants.

There are more than 2,300 species of bee in Europe and some of these species have markedly declined in abundance recently [1].  Knock-on effects to the flowers they pollinate and animals associated with these flowers is not fully known, but the consequences for biodiversity are likely to be negative [2]. There are many threats to Europe’s pollinators, and many of these are increasing in severity.

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secretariat@EuropeanPollinatorInitiative.org European Pollinator Initiative Coordinated by: Centre for Agri-Environmental Research    Reading University, PO Box 237, RG6 6AR, UK

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References: [1] Day, M.C. 1991. Towards the conservation of Aculeate Hymenoptera in Europe. Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats. Council of Europe Press, Strasbourg, Nature and Environment Series 51. [2] Buchmann, S.L. & Nabhan, G.P.  (1996) The Forgotten Pollinators. Island Press, Washington, D. C.