Is There a Pollinator Apocalypse?

With more than a million described species, the Class Insecta is the most species-rich group of multicellular organisms on Earth; insects can be found in virtually all habitats on the planet. Several recent studies have documented dramatic declines in local insect biomass and species numbers, suggesting that the spectacular diversity of insects that has characterized life on Earth for millions of years might be at risk. The magnitude of declines is open to debate, as are the possible causes among the many candidates are habitat loss, intensification of agriculture, invasive species, and climate change. Among the irreplaceable ecosystem services provided by many insects is pollination of flowering plants, more than 75% percent of which depend on insects in order to reproduce. Some of the most conspicuous and well-documented declines in diversity and abundance involve pollinating bees, flower flies, moths, and butterflies. Protecting pollinators, however, has only recently become a priority. Whether people can be persuaded to watch out for the pollinators, upon which 3/4 of the world’s flowering plants and one-third of the world’s crop plants depend, is a challenge that should supersede the differences that usually divide them.

Speaker Biography: Dr. May Berenbaum has been on the faculty of the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since 1980; she has served as head of the department since 1992 and has held the Swanlund Chair of Entomology since 1996. Her research is focused on interactions between flowering plants and insects, ranging from pollinators to crop pests, and on the application of ecological principles toward sustainable management practices. A member of the National Academy of Sciences since 1994, she chaired the Committee on the Status of Pollinators in North America and testified before Congress on issues relating to honey bee health and pollinator decline. In addition to publishing more than 300 refereed scientific papers, she is devoted to public engagement in science and has authored numerous articles, as well as six books about insects for the general public (including a honey cookbook) and has founded several outreach and citizen-science activities, including Beespotter, and the UI Pollinatarium. In 2011 she received the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement and in 2014 she was presented with the National Medal of Science from President Barack Obama.