Air Pollution makes it harder for pollinators
Source: https://www.newscientist.com/
A field trial found that levels of nitrogen oxides and ozone similar to those near roads led to a 70 per cent drop in the numbers of bees and butterflies on mustard plants. Pesticides and land use changes are two of the biggest drivers of plummenting insect number, but a new field trial suggests that polluted air caused by diesel cars may be a major cause too. Evidence from lab studies has shown how air pollutants degrade the floral odour particles released by plants, making it harder for insects to locate them. To gain a better handle on how those interactions play out in the wider environment,James Ryalls at the University of Reading, UK, and colleagues ran a three-year field trial. They built a system that generated nitrogen oxides and ozone pollution in the centre of a wheat field and piped it to six octagonal enclosures where black mustard plants were grown. Two more enclosures filled with ambient air acted as a control.