Pollinator Species in our Backyard

What is a pollinator and why are they important? 

We see them every day in our backyards. A pollinator can be an animal or insect. For example birds, bees, and butterflies are all known as pollinators. Different species of pollinators are important to various species of plants. The pollinator gathers pollen grains from the anther of a male flower and transfers it to the stigma of a female flower, and once fertilized, the flower will produce seeds. Pollination is so vital, not just because it produces new flowering plants and generates the fruits we eat, it's also essential for biodiversity and thriving ecosystems. Imagine if a few or even one flower or plant was the main food source for a certain species. Without pollination, those plants the species depend on could vanish. Which would potentially throw off the balance of the whole ecosystem. Pollinators might seem inconsequential to the everyday person, but in reality, they are invaluable and irreplaceable, because without them the earth would be uninhabitable for all.   

Types Pollinators in our own Backyard

Bees

It’s quite astonishing that there are over 1,000 species of California native bees. Every single species has their own preference for plants and unique ways of transferring pollen. For example, the Digger Bee (Anthophora) has the ability to pollinate deep and tubular blossoms by burrowing deep into flowers resulting in their whole top half becoming covered in pollen grains. This is good news for wildflower diversity and vital for some endangered plant species. Another species called the Metallic Leafcutter Bee spreads pollen by cutting leaves off plants, not just to feed on, but to use for nesting cells. Bees are amazing pollinators because they gravitate to specific flowers, which helps maintain order and makes sure all flowers in their area get pollinated. Another reason they're great pollinators is that their fuzzy bodies act as a pocket, where vast amounts of pollen can be stored.  

Megachile spp. (Gold Tipped Leaf Cutter Bee)

Anthrophorini spp. (Digger Bee)

Apis mellifera (European Honey Bee)

Butterflies

Not only are they beautiful to look at and admire, they are an indicator of a healthy ecosystem. Unfortunately the opposite is also true. As butterfly populations decrease it could indicate negative changes occurring in the environment. These unwanted changes could be a culmination of pesticide/insecticide use in the area, increase in pollution, loss of habitat, or extreme drought. Currently, the Western Monarch Butterfly population in California is experiencing a devastating decrease, with an 86% reduction, from a total of 148,000 butterflies in 2017 to just 20,456 by the end of 2018. Today the population is still hovering around 20,000. If the species does go extinct, there may be unforeseen detrimental effects, because they act as pollinators and are a food source for some predators. This just goes to show how sensitive and connected butterflies are to changes in the environment and that a decline in butterfly populations should be taken seriously.

       Butterflies have little to no drawbacks, as they feed on the nectar of plants and only a few species cause minor damage to commercial plants. In Santa Clara County alone, 190 species of butterflies have been identified [butterfliesandmoths.org]. Worldwide, there are around 24,000 species of butterflies. Just like bees, butterflies carry pollen on their bodies with nectar being their main food source. Additionally, butterflies naturally prefer wildflowers with stronger scents. Although some species do feed on plants, there are species of butterflies that act as natural pest control, for example the Harvester Butterfly, which feeds on aphids during its larval stage.

Adelpha californica (California Sister Butterfly)

Battus philenor (Pollen shown on wings of Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly)

Moths

While the order Lepidoptera includes all moth and butterfly species (140,000), moths take over pollination duties during the night, although some species also pollinate during the day. Moths mainly go for flowers that bloom at night and are full of nectar, and this under-appreciated pollinator helps diverse ecosystems thrive. However, many moth species are also facing a daunting future. As human populations are rapidly growing, so are cities that are becoming quickly overpopulated, and one side effect of this urban growth is light pollution. Lights from buildings, street lights, homes, cars, and any artificial light source contributes to light pollution. Unfortunately, moths are attracted to a type of wavelength light bulbs emit, which disrupts their natural habits during the night. As a pollinator, any disruption in their region can have adverse effects on the population. One study, done in the UK by Butterfly Conservation, says the overall number of moths have declined by 28%, with certain endangered species, such as the Garden Tiger, experiencing a drastic decline of 92%. Over the past decades, 60 other species once common are now extinct in the UK. The good news is studies have shown that moths are visiting plants and crops that were previously only known to be visited by bees and butterflies, and actually complement the work of bees, which shows just how integral moths are to ecosystems. Moths are also beneficial to commercial crops and agriculture, as they can carry pollen over great distances.  

Cisseps fulvicolliss (Yellow Collared Scape Moth)

Sphinx ligustri (example of the Privet Hawk Moth having tongues double the length of body)

Flies

These little pollinators, along with gnats and mosquitos, form a very large proportion of pollinators. These two-winged pollinators may not be as effective in carrying pollen from flower to flower, as flies don’t have that attractive furry coat bees or even butterflies have, but flies make themselves extremely useful by going after the plants that other pollinators find less aromatically pleasant. For example, flies love to feed on the pollen of the flower Red Trillium (Trillium erectum), because the shade of red on the flower resembles the color of meat and the odor it produces is similar to decaying carrion. Plant species that produce putrid-smelling odors or have pale dark colors, but otherwise are aesthetically pleasing, have a lot to thank for the small yet significant fly pollinators. 

Lucilia sericata (Green Bottle Fly)

Trillium erectum (Red Trillium)

Birds

Bird pollination, also known as Ornithophily, is pollination of certain species of flowers by birds. There are around 2,000 bird species that feed on nectar. The birds, in this case, are known as nectarivorous birds that rely heavily on nectar for their diet and have physical features to allow them easy access to nectar from flowers. Examples of nectarivorous birds are the various species of hummingbirds, sunbirds, and honeyeaters. The flowering plants that rely on ornithophily have traits that cater to nectarivorous birds, and these flowers are usually brightly colored, hold a great amount of nectar, and are mostly odorless. These species of flowers also are structured in a way that benefits birds that hover or perch. Take for example the Bignonia capreolata, also known as the Trumpet Flower, these flowers are loaded with nectar and the shape of the flower is accessible for hovering hummingbirds. Since some of these nectarivorous birds and flowers have coevolved for generations, it's clear that if a species of nectarivorous bird goes extinct then it's possible the flower that it coevolved with will face the same fate. But it’s amazing that some of the smallest bird species can have such a large impact as pollinators. Just in the United States, these nectarivorous birds are responsible for the continuous fertilization of many wildflower species. 

Hovering bird, Selasphorus platycercus (Broad-tailed Hummingbird), pollinating Lonicera sempervirens (Coral Honeysuckle)

Perched bird pollinating Corymbia ficifolia (Red Flowering Gum)

(Bignonia capreolata, Trumpet Flower)

How to help pollinators

1. Plant Natives: By planting a diverse garden of native plants you will create a bountiful habitat of pollen and nectar that pollinators will naturally be enticed to.  

2. Avoid Pesticides: Insecticides and herbicides are chemicals that don’t belong in our ecosystems or even in our yards. Pesticides harm beneficial plants and insects. 

3. Volunteer: Join an environmental program that teaches people about pollinators, learn what plants are native to your area, and connect with other environmentalists to see how you can further help in your community.  

4. Support Land Conservation: Pollinators and native plants deverse a habitat nurtured for them. Help to maintain or create pollinator gardens in your community and watch pollinators in your area thrive.

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Citations 

“Agents for Pollination: Anemophily, Zoophily and Hydrophily (With Diagrams).” Biology Discussion, 16 Oct. 2015, www.biologydiscussion.com/pollination/agents-for-pollination-anemophily-zoophily-and-hydrophily-with-diagrams/13503.

Ames, Hayley. “Why Are Butterflies Important?” Sciencing, 13 Aug. 2019, sciencing.com/butterflies-important-8749269.html.

“Butterflies of California.” INaturalist, www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/10675-Butterflies-of-California.

“California Insects (552 Found).” Insect Identification, www.insectidentification.org/insects-by-state.asp?thisState=California.

Criss, Doug. “The Monarch Butterfly Population in California Has Plummeted 86% in One Year.” CNN, Cable News Network, 7 Jan. 2019, www.cnn.com/2019/01/07/us/monarch-butterflies-decline-trnd/index.html.

Deng, Boer. “These Flowers Have an Ingenious Pollination Mechanism.” Slate Magazine, Slate, 16 July 2014, slate.com/technology/2014/07/birds-pollinating-flowers-bellows-mechanism-blows-pollen-from-stamen-onto-beaks.html.

“Endangered Hummingbirds List.” Home, www.hummingbirdsociety.org/endangered-hummingbirds-list.

MacGregor, Callum J, et al. “Pollination by Nocturnal Lepidoptera, and the Effects of Light Pollution: a Review.” Ecological Entomology, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, June 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4405039/.

“Natural Resources Conservation Service.” NRCS, www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/gardeners/.

“Ten Tips to Help Pollinators.” KidsGardening, 1 June 2017, kidsgardening.org/ten-tips-to-help-pollinators/.

“The Nocturnal Pollinators: Scientists Reveal the Secret Life of Moths.” Home Page, butterfly-conservation.org/news-and-blog/the-nocturnal-pollinators-scientists-reveal-the-secret-life-of-moths.

“U.S. Forest Service.” Forest Service Shield, www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/animals/moths.shtml.

“U.S. Forest Service.” Forest Service Shield, www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/animals/flies.shtml.

“U.S. Forest Service.” Forest Service Shield, www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/animals/birds.shtml.

Of Deserts and Droughts

Wangari Maathai. The first time you hear the name, it might not exactly roll off your tongue. But it lodges in your memory. If you are reading this blog, you have probably heard of this remarkable woman. If not, or just for a refresher, here's a short introduction. She was born in 1940 and grew up in Kenya. In 1971, she received a PhD in veterinary anatomy from the University of Nairobi, becoming the first woman in East Africa to receive a doctorate. She became an associate professor at the University of Nairobi in 1976. In addition to this position, Dr. Maathai was also active in civic, women's, and human rights organizations. She had a genius for addressing urgent issues in synergistic ways.  In 1977, at the age of 37, she started a nursery that provided jobs for the unemployed and contributed to environmental restoration. From the humble start of these tree seedlings, she founded the Green Belt Movement to plant trees across Kenya. Her passion for democracy and women's rights, in addition to environmental issues, led to her outspoken and articulate participation in Kenyan politics, although at times, she was at odds with the actions of the government. In fact, she was arrested for her activism to preserve Kenya's forests. Despite this, well maybe because of, this, she was elected to the Kenyan Parliament in 2002 and became the Minister of the Environment. She earned many international awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She estimated that she had planted over a million trees in her lifetime. Her actions came from a continuous thread of passion throughout her life, as recounted in her memoir, “Unbowed.” One of her messages, which you can find in her own voice on YouTube, is to “be like a hummingbird”.  Do the little things you can do to improve your world and set an example, in spite of the naysayers. 

Wangari Matthai comes to mind this week because the 17th of June is the United Nations' annual Drought and Desertification Day.  What do you think of when you hear this phrase? Maybe you see images of boats stranded on an expanse of sand in the Aral Sea, which went from being the 4th largest lake in the world in 1960 to just 10% of its size by 1997. Maybe thoughts of the encroaching deserts in Australia and north Africa come to mind. Or maybe you think of the Dust Bowl that roiled through the central part of the United States nearly a century ago. Places far away in space and time from those of us in North America in 2020. But even here in the southwestern United States, hydrologists tell us that the past five years of drought are nothing compared to what we are now entering: an era of drought to rival the demise of the Anasazi, a period during which we will never see Lake Havasu or Lake Powell full again. In spite of this, U.S. government subsidies, put in place years ago, keep water flowing to unsustainable crops like cotton grown in Arizona. But we aren't the only nation that has taken this course. Freshwater inflows diverted from Lake Aral which led to its shrinking are also used for irrigating cotton in an arid region. These types of crops and agriculture policies are not sustainable but they aren’t the only reason for the prolonged drought we are entering. 

The UN's 2020 Drought and Desertification Day slogan is “Food. Feed. Fiber.” They seek to change habits surrounding the foods we choose to eat and food waste (both of which we hear of often) and clothing choices (do we hear much of this?).  Here are some sobering facts around clothes, fashion, and water usage:

• The average consumer bought 60% more clothing in 2014 than in 2000 but kept each garment for only half as long  []

• The amount of clothes bought in the European Union per person has increased by 40% in just a few decades []

• 675 gallons of water are used to produce a single t-shirt.  Drinking the recommended eight 8-ounce glasses of water (or tea, or coffee) a day, this would take you over 3 ½ years to consume! 

• The world uses 1.3 trillion gallons of water each year for fabric dyeing alone, enough to fill 2 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. 

(If you want to explore more about the fashion industry, click here   For more about how manufacturing and fate of clothing has changed in the past 20 years, take a peek at Adam Minter's “Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale.”)

The good news is that you can get by with fewer clothes! Do you really need three shirts made of that flimsy but lightweight new cotton knit (they are so cheap!) when one or two will do? Consider buying a more expensive but durable item of clothing. We all like new and different things once in a while, but they don't have to be brand-new to be fun. Trade that disliked T-shirt for one your friend has. Or, when we “open up” again, have a clothing swap party or check out Goodwill. And as for masks, instead of buying new fabric, consider using the sides of a worn-out sheet or that cotton shirt, pair of pajamas, or robe with frayed cuffs or hems to make a reusable mask. Or give those items to a seamstress you know to make it instead.

Our actions don’t have to end with changing our shopping habits. As Wangari Maathai and Our City Forest fans and devotees know, trees are a mighty force for mitigating drought and desertification. Studies have shown that soil infiltration near individual oak trees is higher by more than a factor of two compared to surrounding grassland without trees. Water that sinks into the ground but not taken up by the tree roots continues downward, recharging groundwater. Trees transpire water, meaning they put moisture back in the air. This reduces heat gain which can mitigate the effects of a drought, especially in urban places. Their roots hold soil in place, reducing soil loss from wind erosion. The very presence of roots reduces the advancement of desertification.

We can't all plant a million trees or buy expensive clothing. But we can do our part. Don't despair if you think your action is small or futile. Just remember that when the fire seems to be raging all around, it's better to do a little than to give up or go along. As Dr. Maathai said: “Be a hummingbird.”  And, as she also said, and as we have all been so recently poignantly reminded: “We all share one planet and are one humanity; there is no escaping this reality.”

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Sources: 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mM11v_16-o

• https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability-and-resource-productivity/our-insights/style-thats-sustainable-a-new-fast-fashion-formula

• http://catalogue.unccd.int/1365_EPRS_BRI(2019)633143_EN.pdf

• https://www.wri.org/blog/2017/07/apparel-industrys-environmental-impact-6-graphics

• https://knowledge.unccd.int/knowledge-products-and-pillars/unccd-e-library/land-food-feed-fibre

• https://www.deeproot.com/blog/blog-entries/how-trees-affect-soil-infiltration-rates

• http://blog.worldagroforestry.org/index.php/2011/12/15/a-film-tribute-to-wangari-maathai-a-forest-icon/

"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in"

The media is known for relaying the worst news and ignoring the positive changes happening in the world. As coronavirus spreads globally and violence over racial injustice erupts in the U.S., the media continues to focus on the negative - the potential spike in COVID-19 cases, the impassioned protests, how many points the DOW has dropped, and the impending economic depression. I am overwhelmed each time I pause to glance at the news. It is virtually impossible not to receive some form of update on the devastation that currently embraces society, whether through social media or alerts on our phones. In light of heartening the mood, I would like to share something positive that is surfacing during this worldwide pandemic. I do not mean to detract from the gravity of the problems we are currently facing, but to open our minds for a brief minute to the things that can provide us a semblance of hope and happiness.

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

— Leonard Cohen

China was the first nation to implement a country-wide quarantine which started in February and lasted into April. Wuhan, the birthplace of COVID-19, had been in a strict quarantine since before that time. Wuhan is a metropolis of 11 million people, located in Eastern China. It is a thriving city, with the Yangtze river flowing directly through its center. With a city this large, there is no doubt that air pollution is one of the largest environmental challenges in the region. Before the coronavirus quarantine, Wuhan experienced high levels of nitrogen dioxide, a type of greenhouse gas that is formed from the emissions of cars, factories, and power plants. Each year, the levels of nitrogen dioxide decrease around Wuhan and other regions of China during the months of late January and early February. Scientists believe this annual reduction in nitrogen dioxide during these months is a response to the closure of businesses for the Chinese Lunar New Year. Experts at NASA have tracked the nitrogen dioxide levels around Wuhan since 2004, and have noticed that 2020 is the first year to show a continual reduction of the greenhouse gas to persist past the Lunar New Year. Typically, the nitrogen dioxide levels return to their previous state around the end of February, but this year the levels remained extremely low all throughout February and well into March. The photo below depicts this finding (NASA): 

This image amazed me when I first saw it posted on NASA’s website. Not only have the levels of nitrogen dioxide decreased drastically, but they have diminished to the point of non-existence. It’s truly exciting to see how quickly the levels of this greenhouse gas have gone down in the span of just several weeks of a lockdown. This photo shows the effects of the strict quarantine in Wuhan, during which citizens were not allowed to leave their homes for many weeks, exemplifying the intensity of the relationship between human activity and air pollution. 

This photo is hopeful, particularly in the environmental world. We currently live in a country whose President refutes climate change and claims that humans are not responsible for the warming of the world. It is endlessly frustrating to have the leader of such a powerful country disregard the influence of human activity on our climate. He has changed EPA guidelines and rolled back over 90 environmental regulations that keep our world safe and healthy. That’s why I find such hope in this photo of nitrogen dioxide levels. Despite its simplicity, we are able to see the direct correlation between humans and the orange coloring of nitrogen dioxide. We, as humans, are responsible for the state of our world and this image proves it. Luckily, nature bounces back extremely quickly, sometimes in just a matter of weeks. Just as the media spits out negative news, any news related to climate change is typically gloomy as well. There needs to be some hope for people to push forward, for us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For me, the fact that nature can return to its previous state so quickly is the light at the end of the tunnel. I hope that it can be a beacon of hope for others as well.

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Sources: 

• https://earthdata.nasa.gov/learn/articles/feature-articles/health-and-air-quality-articles/find-no2-data

• https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/146362/airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-plummets-over-china#:~:text=NASA%20and%20European%20Space%20Agency,following%20the%20outbreak%20of%20coronavirus.