Pollinators: Essential for Crop Survival

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Animal pollinators are crucial to agricultural systems, with 80% of crops depending on them for growth. Insects, particularly the European honeybee, play a pivotal role, contributing to 50% of necessary pollination. The absence of this bee species could lead to a significant decline in food production, estimated at one-third. While alternative methods like drones have been explored, they prove inefficient for pollinating small flowers. The global value of pollination is estimated in the trillions, indicating a likely underestimation of its true worth. Ongoing threats to bee populations, such as pests and diseases, underscore the importance of bee management and mobility to sustain crop yields and ensure food security.

(Conversation recorded on July 25th, 2024)

Show Summary:

Human overpopulation is often depicted in the media in one of two ways: as either a catastrophic disaster or an overly-exaggerated concern. Yet the data understood by scientists and researchers is clear. So what is the actual state of our overshoot, and, despite our growing numbers, are we already seeing the signs that the sixth mass extinction is underway?

In this episode, Nate is joined by global ecologist Corey Bradshaw to discuss his recent research on the rapid decline in biodiversity, how population and demographics will change in the coming decades, and what both of these will mean for complex global economies currently reliant on a stable environment.

How might the current rate of species loss result in a domino effect of widespread and severe impacts on the health of the biosphere? What are the key factors driving changes in population growth, and how do these vary across different countries and cultures? Could we stabilize these trends and achieve a sustainable balance between biodiversity and human population through targeted policies and initiatives — and how much time is left to act?

About Corey Bradshaw:

Corey Bradshaw is the Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Director of the Global Ecology Laboratory at Flinders University in South Australia. He is also the head of the Flinders Modelling Node of the Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage. He has completed three tertiary degrees in ecology (BSc, MSc, PhD) from universities in Canada and New Zealand, and a Certificate in Veterinary Conservation Medicine from Murdoch University.

In a world where human activity has precipitated the current Anthropocene extinction event, he aims to provide irrefutable evidence to influence government policy and private behavior for the preservation of our planet’s biowealth. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles, 13 book chapters and 3 books, including The Effective Scientist and Killing the Koala and Poisoning the Prairie.

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