"Buzz Off! Excessive Fertiliser Use Cuts Bee Populations in Half, Reveals Decades-Long Study"

Excessive Fertiliser Use Cuts Bee Populations in Half [SWOP NEWS]

Fertilizers and Their Impact on Pollinator Numbers:

The world's longest-running ecological survey reveals that high fertilizer use results in a halving of pollinator populations and a significant decrease in flower numbers. The research, conducted by the University of Sussex and Rothamsted Research, examined the impacts of widely-used fertilizers, nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus on grasslands. The study found that these resulted in a fivefold reduction in flowers and a 50% decrease in pollinating insects.

The Fertiliser-Pollinator Decline Link:

The most affected by this decline were bees with over nine times more bees found in chemical-free plots as compared to the most fertilized. Lead researcher Dr. Nicholas Balfour, from the University of Sussex, emphasized the direct link, explaining that as fertilizer use increased, pollinator numbers decreased - a finding that hadn't been displayed before. The importance of this discovery goes beyond the decrease in pollinators and flowers, affecting the entire food chain.

How Fertilizers Impact Grasslands:

The primary reason behind this decline is that fertilizers produce conditions that favor fast-growing grasses, causing them to crowd out other grass types and flowers. A greater diversity of flowers generally leads to a more diverse range of pollinators, so this crowding out impacts the wider environment significantly.

The Trade-Off between Fertility and Biodiversity:

The research illustrates the dilemma faced by farmers who have to either sacrifice crop yields for a more pollinator-friendly land or deal with decreasing biodiversity. It notes a trade-off between flower and pollinator diversity and grassland yield and emphasizes the need for financial incentives to support biodiversity-friendly farming practices.




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