The article highlights the current problem with the death of many pollinating animals/insects. There are about 20,000 species of wild bees that help the growth of fruits and vegetables, and if they start to go extinct or die off the amount of food supply is going to decrease. The total of all plants that depend on pollination from these animals make up 35 percent of the total crops and carry a value of about 577 billion dollars per year. The other problem with this is that the agricultural system is going to fail and millions of people worldwide will be without a job. Scientists believe that climate change is playing a huge roll in the danger towards bees in North America and Europe. The warming that is happening changes the territories of plants and also changes the blooming season for plants that provide fruits and vegetables to the world. Dr Watson, from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia, asked the question “Will the pollinators be there when the flowers need them?”

Scientists also predict that pesticides and and the emergence of genetically modified foods are adding to the problems. This problem can continue to increase in severity if the climate change and global pollution continue to increase throughout the next few decades. It will be necessary for scientists to figure out a way to help the bees and other pollinators survive the changing conditions. The pollinators will be crucial to sustaining a food supply for the growing population that we learned about in module nine.

Article:

Schwartz, John. “Decline of Pollinators Poses Threat to World Food Supply, Report Says.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 2016. Web. 03 Apr. 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/27/science/decline-of-species-that-pollinate-poses-a-threat-to-global-food-supply-report-warns.html?_r=0>.