Reforms needed to ensure the protection of all pollinator species, our food systems and biodiversity as a whole.
Reforms needed to ensure the protection of all pollinator species, our food systems and biodiversity as a whole.
A new study reveals alarming risks that pesticides pose to ground-nesting bees, which are crucial for pollination and food production. As agriculture increasingly relies on pesticides to protect crops, the unintended consequences for these essential pollinators are becoming clearer.
Led by Sabrina Rondeaunorth_eastexternal link, an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biology at the University of Ottawa, the research highlights the urgent need to reassess pesticide safety standards to protect these essential pollinators.
The study reveals that current pesticide risk assessments, which primarily use honeybees as test subjects, fail to account for the unique vulnerabilities of wild bees that nest in soil. "Our findings show that over 70% of wild bee species, which are crucial for pollinating our food crops, face significant risks from pesticide residues in soil - a threat current regulations overlook," says Dr. Rondeau.
Read more at University of Ottawa
Photo Credit: maria-anne via Pixabay
