Take a deep breath of fresh air. The sweet smells of nature calm your mind. Now imagine not being able to enjoy those scents — or having pollution mask life-sustaining floral perfumes that you depend on to eat.
This is the distressing reality facing many pollinating animals today.
What's happening?
A study published in the journal Science reveals air pollution is eroding floral scents essential to pollinators like moths, confusing their ability to locate wildflower nectar.
Scientists found nitrogen oxide compounds prevalent in industrial pollution can degrade key chemicals in the bouquet given off by certain blooms. With altered or obscured floral smell cues, moth visitation in tests plummeted by as much as 70%.
Why is eroding floral scents concerning?
Like canaries in coal mines, moth "nose blindness" signals potential ecosystem trouble.
Flowers and their pollinators rely on each other in a delicate balance. Disruptions risk fruit and vegetable crops requiring cross-pollination — much of our food supply, including sweet juicy berries, nutrient-packed broccoli, protein-rich beans, and beyond.
Can't afford solar panels? Here's how to get them without paying for purchase or installation Palmetto's revolutionary LightReach program gives you all the benefits of solar power without the upfront costs. LightReach lets you lease solar panels with no money down, making it easier than ever to lock in energy savings. Palmetto assumes all risk and responsibility for the panels you lease, which means you'll get reliable performance without unforeseen costs. To get started, just answer a few basic questions about your home and learn how much you can save. Learn more → |
Air pollution multiplies threats already endangering vulnerable pollinators from rising global temperatures to habitat loss.
"The flowers only bloom once per night," said Jeff Riffell, a University of Washington biologist who co-wrote the study. "Without their pollinators, there can be a huge change in the plant community."
Robbie Girling, a chemical ecologist at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, who was not involved with the research, said: "It's really exciting and also a bit scary to see the results."
What's being done to stop eroding floral scents?
While more research on additional pollinator species is recommended, positive scientific solutions are sprouting.
TCD Picks » Grove Collaborative
Grove makes it easy to cut toxins, plastic, and pollution with a collection of healthier home products
Atmospheric chemists and sensory biologists teaming up can now precisely pinpoint pollution interacting with ecological processes, empowering better strategies for improving air quality.
We can also help pollinators flourish through simple, everyday acts that nourish nature around us: Planting pollinator-friendly native flowers avoids reliance on commercial crops, making green travel choices cuts transportation pollution that clouds their sense of smell, and supporting local sustainable agriculture today brings a breath of fresh air to the farms supplying our tables tomorrow.
Our actions that reduce air pollution help not only delicate pollinators but our entire shared environment.
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
Cool Picks
