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YOUR DAILY DOSE OF SCIENCE 5

AIR POLLUTION CHANGES THE SCENT

OF FLOWERS, REDUCING POLLINATION

“The findings are alarming because
this pollution is common in the air
most of us breathe every day.”

A new study has shown this critical process in the The study found that there University of Reading said, Dr. Christian Pfrang,
that air pollution can alter natural environment. were up to 70 percent “The findings are alarming co-author of the study,
the scent of flowers and fewer pollinators in the because these pollutants added that this impact of
limit the pollination ability Leader of the study from region where levels of are common in the air atmospheric pollution has
of bees and butterflies. the University of Reading common air pollutants most of us breathe every “direct consequences for
The researchers found Dr. Robbie Girling said,”We increased. When the ozone day. We know that these food production and the
that the presence of knew from our previous lab level and diesel exhaust pollutants are harmful to resilience of our natural
common air pollutants, work that diesel exhaust fumes, substances that our health. The significant environment.”
such as those emitted from could have adverse effects can react with the scent of reductions we’ve seen in
diesel exhausts, reduced on pollinators, but the flowers, were high flower pollinator numbers and
pollination levels by up to effects we detected in the visits decreased by up to pollination activity show
31 percent. The study is field from air pollution were 90 percent. clear implications for the
the first to reveal how air much more dramatic than natural ecosystems we
pollution negatively affects we expected.” Dr. James Ryalls from depend on.”

Laborlar
Biolife Italiana
Microbiology Lifescience