Bees under threat as pollution means flowers are losing their natural scent
By GWYNETH REES
Last updated at 13:09 20 April 2008
They are a quintessential sign of summer - the scent of blossom on the wind and the buzzing of bees.
But scientists claim that both are now under threat - as flowers lose their natural scent due to pollution.
A new study suggests that gases from car emission are dulling floral aromas and disrupting insect life.
Gases from car emission are dulling floral aromas and disrupting insect life, says study
Researchers claim pollution is dramatically cutting the distance travelled by the scent molecules of plants.
This is preventing flowers from attracting bees and other insects needed to pollinate them.
As a consequence, the numbers of insects are dramatically dwindling as they struggle to located the nectar off which they feed.
Professor Jose Fuentes, of the University of Virginia, which carried out the research, said: "Scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,2000 metres.
"But today they may only travel 200 to 300 metres. "This makes it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers."
The study, funded by the US National Science Foundation, examined the smell given off by snapdragons.
They found that the scent molecules are volatile and quickly bond with pollutants, such as ozone and nitrate radicals - formed mainly from vehicle emissions. This chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers.
As a result, bees and other insects - which rely on the scent of flowers to locate them - fail to do so and do not get enough food.
The ability of the insects to attract mates and repel enemies is also impeded, scientists fear.
While the flowers, which rely on insects to pollinate them, also suffer. Scientists have found that bees, which pollinate most of the world's crops, are in unprecedented decline in Britain and across much of the globe.
At least a quarter of America's 2.5million honey bee colonies have been wiped out by colony collapse disorder (CCD) where hives are found to be suddenly deserted.
Although the mysterious phenomenon has yet to appear in the UK, insect numbers have been declining here too.
Agricultural minister Lord Rooker has warned that "the honey bee population could be wiped out in 10 years".
The scientists do not believe pollution is necessarily the cause of CCD but they claim it is making it harder for many insects to survive.
Research shows it is not just insects that are affected by the actions of humans. The number of birds visiting our gardens and parks has plunged by a fifth in four years, a survey has revealed.
The decline follows a succession of mild winters and the growing popularity of paving and decking, which robs gardens of valuable plants and insects.
Changes in farming techniques, a decline in hedgerows and increased used of pesticides may also have hit bird numbers.
- Re: Bees under threat as pollution means flowers are losing their natural scentposted on 07/30/2008
silent spring.
人活着是越来越没意思。
城市人更没意思,天天吃喝玩乐,再就是数钱,一直到死。而且,最能破坏。 - Re: Bees under threat as pollution means flowers are losing their natural scentposted on 07/31/2008
我那天还纳闷,这花香能散多远,花色即足够了。
后来才知道,花色是小角度的,视觉,就象电脑屏幕。而花香,却是
全方位的,嗅觉。又说到鹰眼很锐,然而,食腐的尸鹫不是非得食腐
,是不腐没气味,高空就没法定位,待定了位,鹰眼当然锐。
这个与天文望远镜很象。似乎,嗅与声,比视觉更通慧。
qinggang wrote:
silent spring.
人活着是越来越没意思。
城市人更没意思,天天吃喝玩乐,再就是数钱,一直到死。而且,最能破坏。 - Re: Bees under threat as pollution means flowers are losing their natural scentposted on 07/31/2008
听说了蜜蜂在减少,是病,周期的,原来和花香,污染又有关。我们真是无孔不入啊。
说起色,动物和我们对色的敏感不一样,好像很多动物只看得到黑白,蜜蜂啊鸟啊的能看到的比我们多。嗅觉人是肯定不如动物的。上回说的榴莲味能传近一公里,动物被吸引来吃了传播种子,我们大概几十米可以闻到?
尸鹫食腐原来是这样,活着味死了的味,鹫敏感的味,共同进化的结果?
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