Syllabus: GS3/ Conservation
In News
- More than 75% of European bumblebee species may be threatened in the next 40-60 years according to a paper published in Nature.
Key Points of the Study
- Population decline: Around 38-76% of European bumblebee species currently considered as non-threatened are projected to see their ecologically suitable territory shrink by at least 30% by 2061-2080.
- Key drivers of population loss: Degradation of habitats and alterations of climate due to human activity are identified as key drivers of these estimated population declines.
About Bumblebee
- The bumblebee (Bombus) is a genus of bees considered to be especially important for the pollination of crops in the cold and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere.
- Bombus species are social bees, with each nest containing a female bee and other male and worker bees.
- The species live and nest in open farmland & fields. It feeds on food plants like sunflowers & clovers.
Way Ahead
- There is a need for conservation measures and policies that mitigate the human impact on important ecosystems.
- Understanding the trajectory of insect populations is important for devising conservation efforts.
Source: TH
