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M. A. M. Osman and M. A. Shebl
4 Climate Change and Crop Pollination
Climate is a key environmental factor that has a significant impact on various ecosystems. Climate change is any substantial change in Earth’s climate that refers to
seasonal changes over a long period with regard to the rising accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is one of the major challenges of our time, adding
considerable stress to our communities and the environment.
Changing climate could lead to substantially alter or eliminate certain ecosystem
services in the future. It affects ecosystems in different ways, for instance, warming
may force species to migrate to higher latitudes or higher altitudes where temperatures
are more favorable to their survival [35]. Climate change is already affecting our
climate, agriculture, native ecosystems, infrastructure, health and biosecurity. It has
broad impacts on plant phenology and growth, carbon and nutrient cycling, as well
as biodiversity and extinction risk. It is affecting the ability of landscapes to provide
these environmental benefits. Climate change also has the potential to severely impact
ecosystem services such as pollination process.
Crop pollination is a vital ecosystem service and essential for sustainment agricultural and horticultural productivity. Pollination is a keystone process in natural
and managed ecosystems. The reproductive success of plants, and consequently their
survival and evolution depend on it. Pollination interventions have been shown to
enhance seed production, quality of seeds, and fruits in various crops. Over 75% of
the major world crops and 80% of all flowering plant species rely on some amount
of animal pollinators [36, 37]. The total economic value of animal pollination to
agricultural production has been estimated at e153 billion (~$200 billion) annually
[38], which represented about 9.5% of the total value (e1618 trillion) of agricultural
production used for human food worldwide in 2005.
Animal pollinators include many insect species (for example, bees, flies, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles and thrips), as well as several species of birds, bats and
other mammals [37]. Bees are considered the most important group of insect pollinators, which help pollinate about 84% of crop species, increasing the yield and quality
of approximately 35% of crops worldwide. The leading pollinator-dependent crops
are vegetables and fruits, representing about e50 billion each, followed by edible
oil crops, stimulants, nuts and spices. The most pollinator-dependent crop categories
ranked in descending order according to the economic value of insect pollination
were vegetables, fruits, and edible oil crops (Table 1).
Climate change may pose a serious threat to pollination services [39–41]. It is
an important driver affecting pollinators and plant-pollinator interactions [42–44].
Climate change is considered as one of the multiple environmental pressures acting
in concert [41]. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [45] has
developed a list of many observed changes of the global climate, including increased
temperatures, reduced snow and ice cover, and variable rainfall frequency and intensity of precipitation [46]. Increasing global temperatures, droughts and more frequent
extreme events are all suggested to affect plant-pollinator interactions [47]. In this
context, the most important impact of climate change is the increasing trend in the
M. A. M. Osman and M. A. Shebl
4 Climate Change and Crop Pollination
Climate is a key environmental factor that has a significant impact on various ecosystems. Climate change is any substantial change in Earth’s climate that refers to
seasonal changes over a long period with regard to the rising accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is one of the major challenges of our time, adding
considerable stress to our communities and the environment.
Changing climate could lead to substantially alter or eliminate certain ecosystem
services in the future. It affects ecosystems in different ways, for instance, warming
may force species to migrate to higher latitudes or higher altitudes where temperatures
are more favorable to their survival [35]. Climate change is already affecting our
climate, agriculture, native ecosystems, infrastructure, health and biosecurity. It has
broad impacts on plant phenology and growth, carbon and nutrient cycling, as well
as biodiversity and extinction risk. It is affecting the ability of landscapes to provide
these environmental benefits. Climate change also has the potential to severely impact
ecosystem services such as pollination process.
Crop pollination is a vital ecosystem service and essential for sustainment agricultural and horticultural productivity. Pollination is a keystone process in natural
and managed ecosystems. The reproductive success of plants, and consequently their
survival and evolution depend on it. Pollination interventions have been shown to
enhance seed production, quality of seeds, and fruits in various crops. Over 75% of
the major world crops and 80% of all flowering plant species rely on some amount
of animal pollinators [36, 37]. The total economic value of animal pollination to
agricultural production has been estimated at e153 billion (~$200 billion) annually
[38], which represented about 9.5% of the total value (e1618 trillion) of agricultural
production used for human food worldwide in 2005.
Animal pollinators include many insect species (for example, bees, flies, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles and thrips), as well as several species of birds, bats and
other mammals [37]. Bees are considered the most important group of insect pollinators, which help pollinate about 84% of crop species, increasing the yield and quality
of approximately 35% of crops worldwide. The leading pollinator-dependent crops
are vegetables and fruits, representing about e50 billion each, followed by edible
oil crops, stimulants, nuts and spices. The most pollinator-dependent crop categories
ranked in descending order according to the economic value of insect pollination
were vegetables, fruits, and edible oil crops (Table 1).
Climate change may pose a serious threat to pollination services [39–41]. It is
an important driver affecting pollinators and plant-pollinator interactions [42–44].
Climate change is considered as one of the multiple environmental pressures acting
in concert [41]. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) [45] has
developed a list of many observed changes of the global climate, including increased
temperatures, reduced snow and ice cover, and variable rainfall frequency and intensity of precipitation [46]. Increasing global temperatures, droughts and more frequent
extreme events are all suggested to affect plant-pollinator interactions [47]. In this
context, the most important impact of climate change is the increasing trend in the