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Cited by 2,138Plant and animal studiesInsect and Pesticide ResearchLand Use and Ecosystem Services

Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being

Open access
Potts, Simon G., Imperatriz-Fonseca, Vera, Ngo, Hien T., Aizen, Marcelo A., Biesmeijer, Jacobus C., Breeze, Thomas D., Dicks, Lynn V., Garibaldi, Lucas A. +3 more·2016·Nature
DOI 10.1038/nature20588
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Abstract

Wild and managed pollinators provide a wide range of benefits to society in terms of contributions to food security, farmer and beekeeper livelihoods, social and cultural values, as well as the maintenance of wider biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Pollinators face numerous threats, including changes in land-use and management intensity, climate change, pesticides and genetically modified crops, pollinator management and pathogens, and invasive alien species. There are well-documented declines in some wild and managed pollinators in several regions of the world. However, many effective policy and management responses can be implemented to safeguard pollinators and sustain pollination services.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nature20588

Cites

8 of 8 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Loss of animal pollinators affects more than 75% of global food crop types, risking US$235 billion to 577 billion of global crop output annually.

    “Loss of animal pollinators affects more than 75% of global food crop types, risking US$235 billion to 577 billion of global crop output annually ( 10 ).”

    From Pervasive human-driven decline of life on Earth points to the need for transformative change (2019) · cites this paper as [10]

    The ‘Diversity of values of pollinators and pollination’ section says animal pollination affects approximately 75% of globally important crop types, not more than 75%. It also values the annual contribution of pollination services at US$235–577 billion, but does not estimate that this entire amount would be lost if pollinators declined. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 18

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  10. [80]Waddington, H. et al. Farmer field schools for improving farming practices and farmer outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. Campbell Syst. Rev . 10, 1-335 (2014).
  11. [84]Bohan, D. A. et al. Effects on weed and invertebrate abundance and diversity of herbicide management in genetically modified herbicide-tolerant winter-sown oilseed rape. Proc. R. Soc. B 272, 463-474 (2005).
  12. [91]Dohzono, I. & Yokoyama, J. Impacts of alien bees on native plant-pollinator relationships: a review with special emphasis on plant reproduction. Appl. Entomol. Zool. (Jpn.) 45, 37-47 (2010).
  13. [96]Hunter, W. et al. Large-scale field application of RNAi technology reducing Israeli acute paralysis virus disease in honey bees ( Apis mellifera , Hymenoptera: Apidae). PLoS Pathogens 6, e1001160 (2010).
  14. [101]Settele, J. et al. in Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability (eds Field, C. B. et al .) 271-359 (Cambridge Univ. Press, 2014).
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  16. [112]Kremen, C. & Miles, A. Ecosystem services in biologically diversified versus conventional farming systems: benefits, externalities, and trade-offs. Ecol. Soc. 17, 40 (2012).
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Authors
Potts, S. G., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V., Ngo, H. T., Aizen, M. A., Biesmeijer, J. C., Breeze, T. D., Dicks, L. V., Garibaldi, L. A., Hill, R., Settele, J., & Vanbergen, A. J.
Affiliations
  • University of Reading (GB)
  • Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
  • Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (DE)
  • Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (AR)
  • Naturalis Biodiversity Center (NL)
  • University of East Anglia (GB)
  • Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
  • Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (DE)
  • UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (GB)
ORCID
Venue
Nature
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2016-11-28
Volume
540
Issue
7632
Pages
220-229
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/nature20588
OpenAlex
W2558467948
Cited by
2,138
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 272 · 2025: 333 · 2024: 255 · 2023: 252 · 2022: 273 · 2021: 248 · 2020: 208 · 2019: 136 · 2018: 103 · 2017: 57
FWCI
15.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • CentAUR (University of Reading) (acceptedVersion)
  • ResearchOnline at James Cook University (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
  • LA Referencia (Red Federada de Repositorios Institucionales de Publicaciones Científicas) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Americanae (AECID Library) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-sa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Natural Environment Research Council (NE/K015419/1, NE/N014472/1, ceh020009)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Plant and animal studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Insect Science › Insect and Pesticide Research
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
Keywords
pollinators, pollination services, pollinator decline, food security, livelihoods, ecosystem services, biodiversity, land use change, climate change, pesticides, genetically modified crops, invasive species, managed pollinators
MeSH terms
Crop Production, Animals, Bees, Butterflies, Conservation of Natural Resources, Humans, Insecta, Pesticides, Population Dynamics, Vertebrates, Ecosystem, Crops, Agricultural, Plants, Genetically Modified, Pollination, Climate Change, Environmental Policy, Introduced Species

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