Why Should We Pay Attention To Ecosystem Services?

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Nadine Azzu, FAO  "The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 5) Youth and United Nations Global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.

Chapter 5. Verbatim.

An example of ecosystem service: Pollination

Pollination is an ecosystem service that depends to a large extent on cooperation, or symbiosis, between species – the pollinated (the plant) and the pollinator. Some pollinators only pollinate specific types of flowers. At least one-third of the world’s agricultural crops (especially many fruits and vegetables) depend upon pollination provided by insects and other animals. Pollinators are essential for orchard, horticultural and forage production, as well as for the production of seeds for many root and fibre crops. Some examples of pollinators are moths, butterflies, flies, beetles and vertebrates (such as bats, squirrels and birds). Most animal pollination is done by bees. That means that bees are responsible for making sure many of the fruits and vegetables that we eat actually exist!

Bees visit flowers to drink nectar and to collect pollen grains. When a bee lands on the flower, pollen grains from the anther of the flower get stuck on the bee’s body. Then, the bee flies off to another flower. Some of the pollen on the bee’s body gets transferred to the stigma of this new flower – and in this way, the new flower is pollinated. Once a flower is pollinated, it produces a seed, and this seed can grow into a new plant. 

Unfortunately, bee populations are declining around the world. Many human practices kill bees, often by accident. For example, the uncontrolled spraying of pesticides kills both “bad” and “good” insects. The destruction of valuable bee habitats leaves fewer places for bees to live. Different bee species need different types of habitats for foraging and for shelter. The clearing of forest land harms species that live in hives or inside fallen logs. The ploughing of fields destroys the homes of ground-nesting bees.

Although scientists do not yet know all the reasons why bee populations are declining, they do know that the decline will have a huge impact on ecosystems and on our food. If pollinator populations fall, it will be difficult to grow crops that provide us with important vitamins and nutrients, such us our fruits and vegetables. Without diverse nutritious fruits and vegetables, we would end up having unbalanced diets and health problems.

Often, bees have a bad reputation – they are seen by people as being dangerous and irritating, and are generally not welcome. Instead, we should learn to appreciate the importance of pollination, and maybe help give bees a better reputation! So next time you are in a garden and see bees buzzing around, try to notice if there are any fruit trees around. Tell your family and friends that bees should not be seen as harmful insects, because if they ate a piece of fruit this morning for breakfast, it was thanks to the bees who pollinated the trees!