A new peer-reviewed study from researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington; the University of Nevada, Reno; and Virginia Tech shows that climate change has led to decreased pollen production from plants and less pollen diversity than previously thought, which could have a significant impact on food production.
“This research is crucial as it examines the long-term impacts of climate change on plant-pollinator interactions,” said Behnaz Balmaki, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of research in biology at UTA. “This study investigates how shifts in flowering times and extreme weather events affect the availability of critical food sources for insect pollinators.”
The research team, which included UTA’s Masoud A. Rostami, focused its study on the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada mountains. The Great Basin, which includes about 95% of Nevada as well as portions of California, Oregon, Idaho and Wyoming, is an ideal place for this type of research because the mountains shield the region from Pacific storms, rain and snow. Read more at University of Texas at Arlington