INFORMATION:
An online tool was developed for users visualize the flow of virtual pollination between countries
(https://virtual-pollination-trade.shinyapps.io/virtual-biotic-pollination-flow/).
J. Aguirre-Gutiérrez (University of Oxford, UK), Marc Lucotte (Université du Quebéc à Montréal, Canada) and Karlo Guidoni-Martins (Universidade Federal de Goiás, Brazil), also participated in the study.
This research was supported by Foundation of Support to Research of Federal District (FAPDF/Brazil), Coordination of Superior Level Staff Improvement (CAPES/Brazil), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brazil), Lisboa2020 FCT/EU (Portugal), and Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (Netherlands).
Photo credit "pollinator on sunflower" - Luísa G. Carvalheiro.
Photo credit "pollinator on açaí palm flower" - Cristiano Menezes.
Where to read the paper? (free access):
Felipe Deodato da Silva e Silva, Luísa G. Carvalheiro, Jesus Aguirre-Gutiérrez, Marc Lucotte, Karlo Guidoni-Martins, Frédéric Mertens. Virtual pollination trade uncovers global dependence on biodiversity of developing countries. Sci. Adv. 7, eabe6636 (2021).
Contact:
* Dr. Felipe Deodato da Silva e Silva (Federal Institute of Mato Grosso - IFMT;
felipe.silva@bag.ifmt.edu.br);
* Dr Luísa G. Carvalheiro (Federal University of Goiás - UFG;
lgcarvalheiro@gmail.com);
* Dr. Frédéric Mertens (University of Brasília - UnB;
mertens.br@gmail.com).
Virtual pollination trade uncovers global dependence on biodiversity for food consumption
2021-03-23
(Press-News.org) Recently, a published study in Science Advances assessed the contribution of pollinators to international market flows and showed that biodiversity conservation is essential to sustain global consumption patterns. This study results from the work of an interdisciplinary team that integrated researchers across the fields of economics, ecology, environmental sciences and social sciences.
Given the growing global demand for crops, sustainability in agriculture is one of the main challenges for human society. Together with the excessive use of chemical inputs, the loss of natural habitat associated with cropland expansion is one of the main drivers of biodiversity decline, and more specifically of pollinator decline. Since pollinators (especially insects) contribute to the production of the vast majority of crops, biodiversity loss negatively impacts crop yield. Quality of the crop product can also be affected, biotic pollination improving the nutritional content and aesthetic appearance associated with the crop market value).
Inspired by the concept of Virtual Water Flow, which measures the amount of water associated with crop products traded in international markets, the concept of Virtual Pollination Flow was defined in this paper as the proportion of exported products resulting from pollinator action. Felipe Deodato (Federal Instituto of Mato Grosso - IFMT, Brazil), who together with Luísa Carvalheiro (Federal University of Goiás - UFG, Brazil) led this research, said that "the concept of Virtual Pollination Flow shows how global markets, particularly those associated with more developed countries, are excessively demanding of pollination services from developing countries." For example, Europe and the United States are heavy consumers of pollination services from Brazil via pollinator-dependent crops, such as coffee, soybeans, oranges, apples, watermelons, mangos, and avocados.
The study also showed that less-developed countries (i.e. those scored lower on the Human Development Index) are those that most expanded their cropland area dedicated to pollinator-dependent crops. This expansion was associated with loss of those pollinators' natural habitat. Luísa Carvalheiro (UFG) warned that "yield loss associated with decreased ecosystem services, such as crop pollination, stimulates even more cropland expansion, thus creating a vicious circle with negative effects for both biodiversity and agriculture".
The authors also pointed out the socioeconomic consequences of this trend. Small scale farmers, who are responsible for a significant portion of crop production worldwide, are those with less capacity to deal with crop yield losses.
Frédéric Mertens (University of Brasília - UnB, Brazil) emphasized that "the interdisciplinary approach of this research revealed the need to develop strategies of global collaborative governance that goes beyond economic principles of free markets, and instead aims for a synergy between international crop markets, biodiversity conservation and social justice".
Although many previous studies reported pollinator declines and highlighted their important role in agriculture, the general public is still largely unaware of the impacts of the current agribusiness model and associated international markets on biodiversity. "When the consumers buy a package of coffee, they know where it came from just by looking at the label, but they don't know if the farmer used sustainable practices to safeguard insects that pollinated coffee
production", said Felipe Deodato. The researchers hope that, by facilitating the identification of global economic connections mediated by ecosystem services, the work will stimulate a recognition of shared responsibility, in which all participants in the production process (farmers, consumers and politicians) are engaged to minimize environmental impacts.
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
CHOP researchers find supplement prevents strokes in patients with rare genetic disorder
2021-03-23
Philadelphia, March 23, 2021 - Researchers from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have discovered that a widely used nutritional supplement may significantly reduce the risk of fatal strokes caused by a rare genetic disorder. Additionally, the findings suggest that the supplement could be used to both block precipitation of and break up the formation of amyloid plaque deposits, a common feature found in serious forms of dementia. The findings were published online today by the journal Nature Communications.
The findings centered around a genetic disorder known as hereditary cystatin C amyloid angiopathy (HCCAA). HCCAA is part ...
Algorithms inspired by social networks reveal lifecycle of substorms, a key element of space weather
2021-03-23
Evolution of auroral substorms revealed by physicists at University of Warwick using the same methods that link people through social media
'If you like this magnetometer, you might like this one too:' historical data from magnetometers used to match them with 'like-minded friends' during 41 substorms
Shows that a single coherent electrical current, that accompanies the Northern Lights during substorms, covers most of the Earth's night-side at high latitudes
Will help to validate models used to predict auroral substorms, which can disrupt electronics and power distribution systems
Space weather often manifests as substorms, where a beautiful auroral display such as the Northern Lights is accompanied ...
Parkinson's gene may impair how new neurons are made throughout our lifetime
2021-03-23
A pioneering study, published in Scientific Reports, found that the Parkinon's gene PINK1 is important for the generation of dopamine-producing neurons throughout life, and is not just responsible for the premature death of these neurons
The international research, led by University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute, used two model systems to examine how neurons are produced throughout our lifetime
Parkinson's disease is a relentlessly progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects around 145,000 people in the UK
A gene defect linked to Parkinson's disease may not only cause the early death of neurons, ...
New diagnostic tool for the management of patients with sepsis
2021-03-23
Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany, March 23, 2021 - Diagnostics company SphingoTec GmbH ("SphingoTec") announced today the first published data (1) on the biomarker DPP3 that can predict the evolution of organ function and survival in septic patients. Measured on top of routinely used standard parameters, such as Lactate and Procalcitonin, DPP3 is an early indicator of short-term outcomes and patient severity. Sepsis is a medical emergency caused by a dysregulated host response to an infection, with mortality rates increasing rapidly for each hour that appropriate treatment is delayed (2). The rapid evolution of sepsis into its severe form, septic shock, raises the need for more precise and faster testing to support better clinical decision-making.
DPP3 is an ...
Nanobiomaterial boosts neuronal growth in mice with spinal cord injuries
2021-03-23
Researchers from the Department of Orthopedics of Tongji Hospital at Tongji University in Shanghai have successfully used a nanobiomaterial called layered double hydroxide (LDH) to inhibit the inflammatory environment surrounding spinal cord injuries in mice, accelerating regeneration of neurons and reconstruction of the neural circuit in the spine. The researchers were also able to identify the underlying genetic mechanism by which LDH works. This understanding should allow further modification of the therapy which, in combination with other elements, could finally produce a comprehensive, clinically applicable system for spinal cord injury relief in humans.
The ...
Food industry lobbying was intense on failed bill to limit marketing to Canadian children
2021-03-23
Researchers at the University of Toronto have found that food industry interactions with government heavily outnumbered non-industry interactions on Bill S-228, also known as the Child Health Protection Act, which died in the Senate of Canada in 2019.
The researchers looked at more than 3,800 interactions, which included meetings, correspondence and lobbying, in the three years before the bill failed. They found that over 80 per cent were by industry, compared to public health or not-for-profit organizations.
They also found that industry accounted for over 80 per cent of interactions with the highest-ranking government offices, including elected parliamentarians and their staff and unelected ...
A leader's gender plays a role in local government sustainability policymaking
2021-03-23
BINGHAMTON, NY -- When it comes to local government, does the gender of a mayor or county executive matter in sustainability policymaking? Yes, but only in certain ways, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Kristina Lambright, associate professor of public administration, and George Homsy, associate professor of public administration and director of the environmental studies program, explored the correlation between female leadership and local government adoption of sustainability policies in "Beyond community characteristics: a leader's gender and local government adoption of energy conservation practices and redistributive programmes," published recently ...
Novel thermometer can accelerate quantum computer development
2021-03-23
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, have developed a novel type of thermometer that can simply and quickly measure temperatures during quantum calculations with extremely high accuracy. The breakthrough provides a benchmarking tool for quantum computing of great value - and opens up for experiments in the exciting field of quantum thermodynamics.
A key component in quantum computers are coaxial cables and waveguides - structures which guide waveforms, and act as the vital connection between the quantum processor, and the classical electronics which control it. Microwave pulses travel along the waveguides to the quantum processor, and are cooled ...
Partnership with churches increases COVID-19 vaccine delivery among Black population
2021-03-23
Incorporating Black churches and clergy in COVID-19 vaccination education and distribution has been found to be an effective model in helping to increase vaccination delivery to historically at-risk populations in San Bernardino County, a study says.
Focused education efforts and an on-site mobile clinic in Black church parking lots resulted in the vaccinations of 417 people, 84% of whom were Black. The study also found an increase in Black attendance of mass vaccination clinics to 3.6% of total patients, up from 3%, in the week post-initiative.
Researchers at Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy published their findings on March 10 in The Lancet Global Health, ...
Study outlines testing strategies for safer air travel during the pandemic
2021-03-23
Almost 90 percent of infectious travelers could be detected with rapid SARS-CoV-2 tests at the airport, and most imported infections could be prevented with a combination of pre-travel testing and a five-day post-travel quarantine that would only lift with a negative test result, according to a computer simulation by UC San Francisco researchers.
The study offers much-needed data to airlines and states that have struggled through a year of the pandemic with little guidance on how to enable safe travel.
The issue is becoming more pressing as states ...