Pollinator Assemblages Vary Along An Urban-to-rural Gradient

It can be all too easy to focus on "charismatic" and "umbrella" species and overlook the unsung heroes of our ecosystems. In the world of urbanization and anthropogenic disturbance research, for instance, there have been scores of studies on birds and mammals, but many fewer on insects. Yet insects--especially bees--are thought to be the most important group of pollinators worldwide; 70% of crops used for human consumption are dependent on animal-mediated pollination, an ecosystem service that was recently estimated to be worth €153 billion in a given year. read more

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