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Small patches of wildflowers in urban areas can be just as effective as natural meadows in nurturing pollinator populations, a Polish study has found.
Why it matters: Populations of bees and other pollinators have declined at a rapid rate over the past few decades due to habitat loss, the introduction of alien species, and pesticides, among other factors. Since the vast majority of the world’s crop production relies on pollinators, it’s a trend that must be urgently reversed, experts warn.
The latest: A cultivated small urban meadow has “a similar value for pollinators as larger areas of natural meadow,” according to the study, which was published in the journal Ecological Entomology in October 2024 and was led by researchers at Warsaw University.
“Sown meadows can compensate insects for the absence of large, natural meadows, especially in the fragmented spaces in cities.”
The researchers counted the number of wild bees, butterflies, and hoverflies in Warsaw’s sown meadows and natural ones, and found no difference in the composition of insect-pollinated plants between the two types of habitats, nor in the “species richness” of pollinators.
However, butterfly numbers were higher in natural meadows, indicating that these insects require large areas to grow their populations.
“We are of the opinion that replacing some mowed green areas with flower meadows may enhance biodiversity, especially by providing a mosaic of meadow types,” the researchers said. “The proper management of urban greenery involves combining the well-being of city residents and the protection of habitats.”
