INVESTIGADORES
AIZEN Marcelo Adrian
artículos
Título:
Global trends in the number and diversity of managed pollinator species
Autor/es:
OSTERMAN, J.; AIZEN, M.A.; BIESMEIJER, J.C.; BOSCH, J.; HOWLETT, B.G.; INOUYE, D.W.; JUNG, C.; MARTINS, D.J.; MEDEL, R.; PAUW, A.; SEYMOUR, C.L.; PAXTON, R.J.
Revista:
AGRICULTURE, ECOSYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENT
Editorial:
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
Referencias:
Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2021 vol. 322
ISSN:
0167-8809
Resumen:
Cultivation of pollinator-dependent crops has expanded globally, increasing our reliance on insect pollination.This essential ecosystem service is provided by a wide range of managed and wild pollinators whose abundanceand diversity are thought to be in decline, threatening sustainable food production. The Western honey bee (Apismellifera) is amongst the best-monitored insects but the state of other managed pollinators is less well known.Here, we review the status and trends of all managed pollinators based on publicly accessible databases and thepublished literature. We found that, on a global scale, the number of managed A. mellifera colonies has increasedby 85% since 1961, driven mainly by Asia. This contrasts with high reported colony overwinter mortality,especially in North America (average 26% since 2007) and Europe (average 16% since 2007). Increasing agriculturaldependency on pollinators as well as threats associated with managing non-native pollinators have likelyspurred interest in the management of alternative species for pollination, including bumble bees, stingless bees,solitary bees, and flies that have higher efficiency in pollinating specific crops. We identify 66 insect species thathave been, or are considered to have the potential to be, managed for crop pollination, including seven bumblebee species and subspecies currently commercially produced mainly for the pollination of greenhouse-growntomatoes and two species that are trap-nested in New Zealand. Other managed pollinators currently in useinclude eight solitary bee species (mainly for pollination services in orchards or alfalfa fields) and three flyspecies (mainly used in enclosures and for seed production). Additional species in each taxonomic category areunder consideration for pollinator management. Examples include 15 stingless bee species that are able to buzzpollinate,will fly in enclosures, and some of which have a history of management for honey production; their usefor pollination is not yet established. To ensure sustainable, integrated pollination management in agriculturallandscapes, the risks, as well as the benefits of novel managed pollinator species must be considered. We, therefore, urge the prioritization of biodiversity-friendly measures maintaining native pollinator species diversityto provide ecosystem resilience to future environmental changes.