Tropical Crops At Risk From Pollinator Loss Due To Climate Change, Shift In Land Use, Finds Study

Relevance: GS 3- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. Food security

(Source: Down To Earth, 10/18/2023)

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Why in the news?

Recently, a study by the University College London and the Natural History Museum revealed that climate change and land-use change have led to a loss of pollinator insects which is likely to affect crops like coffee, cocoa, watermelon, and mango.

What is the crisis faced by tropical crops?

• Climate change and changes in land use have led to a decline in the insect pollinator population of tropical crops.
• Population decline: The number of insects that pollinate tropical plants like coffee, cocoa, mango, etc declined by 61%.
  • According to an FAO Report from 2021, more than 40% of invertebrate pollinators are at risk of extinction.

Factors in population decline

• Climate change: Insects are highly sensitive to climatic conditions such as precipitation and temperature and plant-pollinator interactions are highly sensitive to thermal changes.
• Destruction of habitat: Traditional habitats of insects have been destroyed due to natural reasons as well as anthropogenic activities like deforestation, pollution, etc.
• Improper land use: Areas where vegetation has been modified for human land use have led to alterations in microclimatic conditions which leads to a decline in tropical insects.
• Agricultural practices: Crop monoculture, and the unscientific use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers has impacted the insect populations.

At-risk areas

• The crisis of decline in pollinator pollutants was the most severe in the tropics, especially sub-Saharan Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia as the majority of animal pollination–dependent crops are grown in the tropics
• China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, and the Philippines are the most at risk in terms of production potential.

Crops threatened

Cocoa faced the highest risk especially in Africa, followed by mango in India, and watermelon in China.

Impact of the pollinator decline

• Production risk: The decline of insect pollinators could lead to a loss of productivity of tropical crops.
  • This could have a side effect of increasing income insecurity among vulnerable agricultural populations in tropical regions.
• Loss of biodiversity: According to the US Department of Agriculture, 3/4th of the world’s flowering plants and around 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators.
  • The loss of insect pollinators could affect the survival and reproduction of many plant species.
• Human health: A study in the Environmental Health Perspectives journal revealed that around half a million premature human deaths occur each year linked to the global insect pollinator decline.
  • The lowered consumption of fruits could lead to a higher incidence of strokes among humans.
• Food commodity prices: The decline in pollinator populations has impacted the availability and as a result, the price of foods such as nuts, legumes, fruits, and vegetables have risen.
  • This is most severe in middle-income countries like India, Russia, and China while wealthy nations are more immune.

Way forward

• Climate change: Global action to mitigate climate change through cooperative initiatives and knowledge sharing is the need of the hour in order to reduce the impact of climate change on insect populations across the world.
• Land use: Land use changes must be slowed down and natural habitats must be protected to protect insect pollinators.
• Agriculture: Farmers should be encouraged to reduce the use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals in agriculture.
• Habitats: Governments, civil society organizations, and individuals must create new, pollinator habitats at the farm and national level and plant crops depending on their affinity to local pollinators.

What is pollination? Pollination is the process of movement of a pollen grain from the anther (male part) of a flower to the stigma (female part). It is the first step in the reproductive process of plants which produces seeds, fruits, and the next generation of plants. Forms: Pollination can take place through self-pollination, wind, and water pollination or through pollinators. What are pollinators? Pollinators are vectors that move pollen within the flower and from flower to flower. Types: Invertebrate pollinators: Bees, moths, flies, wasps, beetles and butterflies. Vertebrate pollinators: Monkeys, rodents, lemurs, tree squirrels, and birds. How does pollination take place? When pollinators visit flowers in search of food i.e. nectar and pollen, they may accidentally come into contact with the flower’s reproductive parts. During this process, the pollinator unknowingly deposits pollen from flower to flower. This pollen is then used by the plant to produce a fruit or seed.

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FAQs

MCQs

Question: Due to some reasons, if there is a huge fall in the population of species of butterflies, what could be its likely consequence/consequences? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. Pollination of some plants could be adversely affected.
2. There could be a drastic increase in the fungal infections of some cultivated plants.
3. It could lead to a fall in the population of some species of wasps, spiders, and birds.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Question: Biodiversity forms the basis for human existence in the following ways

1. Soil formation
2. Prevention of soil erosion
3. Recycling of waste
4. Pollination of crops

Select the correct answer using the codes given below (UPSC CSE 2011)

(a) 1,2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3, and 4 only

(c) 1 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 only