A century of decline

Records since nineteen twenty-one show more bee species declining than increasing across Europe, except in the Alpine region. About half of hover fly species have also declined.

The pattern across regions

The Atlantic and Continental regions suffered persistent drops in bee and hover fly species richness. Trends in other regions were mixed or even positive. The data covers eighty-eight percent of bee and hover fly species.

Hidden loss reshaping nature

Scientists warn pollinator communities have been reshaped by the gradual loss of sensitive species and the rise of a resilient few. This could cause deeper functional disruptions if trends continue.

“gradual loss of sensitive species and the rise of a resilient few”

Why this matters for food

Nearly ninety percent of wild flowering plants and more than three-quarters of major food crop types depend partly on animal pollination. Pollinator decline threatens wildlife and weakens ecosystems against climate change.

A window to act now

Carlos Martínez-Núñez, lead author and ecologist at the Spanish National Research Council, said the findings show biodiversity loss can hide behind stable species numbers, giving a crucial opportunity to act before further declines occur.

“giving us a crucial opportunity to act before further declines occur”

Cop17 tackles global targets

The summit in Yerevan will assess progress toward this decade's targets: protecting thirty percent of land and sea, reforming five hundred billion dollars of environmentally damaging subsidies, and restoring thirty percent of degraded ecosystems.