Wild bee species in Europe have declined over the past century

Research based on records dating back to 1921 found that declining bee species outnumber those increasing across almost every EU region, with the Alps the only exception, pointing to a long-term reduction in pollinator diversity, particularly in Atlantic and Continental Europe.

This study covers 88% of bee and hoverfly species across the continent, and the findings show that pollinator communities have gradually changed, with sensitive species disappearing while a smaller number of more resilient species become increasingly dominant.

Scientists warned that these changes could cause deeper ecosystem disruptions if the current situation continues.

Climate change

Pollinators play a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and food production.

Around 90% of wild flowering plant species and more than three-quarters of major food crops depend, at least partly, on animal pollination.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned that declining pollinators can trigger a chain reaction, threatening wildlife and weakening ecosystems’ ability to withstand climate change and other environmental pressures.

Carlos Martínez-Núñez, an ecologist at Spain’s National Research Council and the study’s lead author, told The Guardian that biodiversity loss can remain hidden behind apparently stable species numbers, adding that the findings offered an important opportunity to take action before further declines occur.

He also cautioned that species currently growing may not keep thriving as climate change intensifies and natural habitats disappear.

Documented records

The research found that 91% of species documented over the past century had also been recorded at least once between 2001 and 2020.

While this could suggest that up to nine percent of species have disappeared from Europe, researchers stressed that many had been rarely recorded historically, and they do not believe widespread extinction has occurred to date.

However, the likelihood of finding species in a particular location, known as species occupancy, has generally fallen, pointing to shrinking distributions even where species have not disappeared entirely.

Ainhoa Magrach, an environmental researcher at the Basque Centre for Climate Change who was not involved in the study, said the findings confirmed longstanding concerns that pollinator populations were declining, although the effects varied between species.

She noted that much of the previous evidence came from northwestern European countries, including the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands, suggesting the pattern extends across the continent despite regional differences.

Biodiversity conference

These findings come as diplomats meet in Yerevan for COP17, the UN’s 17th biodiversity conference, which focuses on protecting nature, promoting its sustainable use and sharing the benefits derived from genetic resources.

The summit is expected to assess progress towards global biodiversity targets for the current decade, including protecting 30% of the world’s land and seas, reforming $500 billion (€445.9 billion) in environmentally harmful subsidies and restoring 30% of degraded ecosystems worldwide.

Despite growing threats from habitat destruction, pesticide use, and pollution-driven climate change, governments have failed to meet any of the UN’s previous nature-related targets since the Convention on Biological Diversity was established in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.