Pollinators are a vital part of our food system. This grant allows us to bridge the gap between ecology and human health, providing a clearer picture of how environmental degradation impacts our ability to grow food.
The interdisciplinary study is led by Professor Tim Newbold (UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and Professor Marco Springmann (UCL Institute for Global Health). Their work will bring together cutting-edge data to understand how habitat loss and climate change are affecting species that pollinate both wild plants and crops.
By analysing global patterns in pollinator biodiversity, the team aims to predict where and when declines will be most severe. This will allow researchers to identify regions where natural ecosystems face the greatest risks due to reduced pollination of wild plants.
The study will also examine how these changes could affect agricultural systems. By assessing risks to crop pollination, the researchers will explore potential knock-on effects for food production and human diets, helping to clarify links between environmental change and nutrition.
The findings are expected to provide valuable insights for conservation strategies, agricultural planning and public health policy, highlighting the critical role pollinators play in sustaining both biodiversity and global food systems.
Useful links
Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research
UCL Institute for Global Health