FREDERICTON — A concerning report co-authored by a Canadian researcher reveals that over one-fifth of pollinator species studied in North America are facing extinction. Out of 759 pollinators analyzed in Canada, more than 10 percent were identified as being at some level of risk, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) this week. In the United States, the findings were even more alarming, with 22.5 percent of the 1,579 pollinators assessed being at risk.
This comprehensive analysis represents the first detailed assessment of North American pollinators and their conservation statuses, as stated by John Klymko, a scientist from the Atlantic Canada Conservation Data Centre in Sackville, New Brunswick, who is one of the study's co-authors. Pollinators, crucial for food production and maintaining healthy ecosystems, include widely recognized species like bees, butterflies, and moths, but also encompass vertebrates such as hummingbirds and bats. Klymko underscored the significance of pollinators in plant reproduction, which is essential for their survival and ecosystem balance.
The economic value of pollinators is staggering, providing more than $15 billion worth of food annually in North America. Among insect pollinators, bees are particularly at risk; the study found that 34.7 percent of the 472 bee species examined in Canada and the U.S. are at risk of extinction. Specifically, 10 bee species, 11 butterfly species, and 2 moth species are classified as critically imperiled. In contrast, flower flies and beetles generally show secure populations, although all three bat species that were studied are at risk, and while the 17 hummingbird species assessed are declining, their numbers remain sufficiently high not to categorize them as at-risk.
Klymko emphasized the importance of maintaining a diverse array of pollinators since various plants require specific pollinators for effective reproduction. Loss of certain pollinator species may lead to detrimental effects on the corresponding plant species that depend on them. Notably, Klymko specifically studied the extinction risk of flower flies, which are appealing insects that often mimic bees or wasps. These flies are often found buzzing around flowers, and their mimicry serves as a survival technique against predators.
Overall, the extinction risk for pollinators tends to be lower in Canada compared to the United States, mainly because Canadian species are more widely distributed across larger areas. However, some species in Canada are confined to limited habitats, particularly in regions like southern Ontario, the prairies, and British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. These areas exhibit high pollinator diversity but are also under significant human pressure.
Key factors adversely affecting pollinator populations, as outlined by the study, include habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate change, and diseases. Klymko elaborated that climate change can disrupt pollinators' natural cycles, leading to situations where they emerge from hibernation before the blooming of essential flowers. Pesticides primarily used in agricultural settings can also contaminate natural ecosystems, resulting in harm to insect populations. Urban development is recognized as a leading cause of habitat loss, contributing significantly to the decline in pollinator species.
What surprised Klymko the most amid the research was the high percentage of species assessed as being at risk. He noted, "More than one-fifth of the species that were assessed were at risk. That’s a sobering statistic." This alarming finding underscores the urgent need for conservation efforts to protect pollinator species critical to food production and ecosystem health.
This report highlights the critical status of pollinators and their importance for environmental sustainability, raising awareness of the challenges they face and the need for immediate action.
