Butterfly: Mainstreaming pollinator stewardship in view of cascading ecological, societal and economic impacts of pollinator decline
It’s really a priority to look after our pollinators because they are so important to our ecosystems and food security. This is something we all have a part to play in, as pollinator decline have cascading impacts on biodiversity and economic stability. But with the Butterfly project, help is at hand to better prepare and respond to these challenges. We will build geographically diverse, multi-stakeholder communities to proactively co-create pollinator restoration solutions. The Butterfly project is all about collecting and sharing vital ecological information, modelling the economic impact of pollinator loss and assessing the dependencies of key supply chains on pollination. Using some truly innovative tools and working closely with partners, Butterfly will make pollinator stewardship common practice across sectors, ultimately informing EU policy and building resilience in vulnerable communities.
Context
It’s so important to keep plant-pollinator interactions healthy and well-functioning in natural and cultivated systems! This is essential for ecosystem resilience, global food security, human health and wellbeing, the economy and thus also for social security and political stability. Sadly, pollinators like bees, syrphid flies, butterflies and moths are decreasing in number in Europe, as they are in other parts of the world. These are some of the most important known pollinators of crop and wild plant species in the EU. It’s amazing to think that there are more than 2,100 bee species, 900 different types of hoverfly, 500 butterflies, thousands of moths, and potentially tens of thousands of flower-visiting flies, wasps, beetles, other insects, and pollinating bats and birds in Europe. And we need them all.
It is estimated that around 90% of flowering plants depend on various pollinators to reproduce, and many species of animals (including us humans) and microorganisms depend on animal-pollinated plants to survive. It is an integral part of our food production and the local and global economy. Furthermore, the fundamental ecological processes that are essential for ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient cycling, are directly dependent on and shaped by plant-pollinator interactions. Take the decomposition of dead organic matter, for example. This vital ecological process is heavily reliant on pollinators. It is the larvae of pollinators (mainly beetles and flies, but also some moths, for example) that make dead organic matter available for decomposition by microorganisms, breaking it down and processing it in the first stage of the decomposition process. Now, you might think that decomposition is a bit gross, but it’s actually a vital process in a functioning ecosystem. It ensures that we are not buried under the huge amount of dead organic matter produced each year right on our own doorstep. The effects of pollinator loss are therefore thought to ripple through food webs and ecosystems (the Butterfly effect), with cascading, often negative, effects on biodiversity and human societies.
We need effective societal responses to the cascading impacts of pollinator decline. This means improving our understanding and foresight of how nature, society and the economy all benefit from the ecosystem services and other benefits provided by pollinators. It is important to recognise the diverse and significant role that pollinators play in regulating our environment, from pollination to carbon storage, nutrient cycling, climate regulation, detoxification, water purification (yes, some pollinator larvae live in water) and pest and disease regulation. These regulating services ensure the resilience of natural and managed ecosystems, which in turn underpin sustainable economies. These services also underpin the production of other key provisioning services, such as crop and honey production, and timber, fibre and medicinal resources. Pollinators also provide cultural services, such as enhancing landscape beauty and providing recreational opportunities. In essence, pollinators are essential to our well-being. Put simply, pollinators are life.