The Impact of Air Pollution on Pollinators' Flower Detection
A study published in the journal Science reveals how air pollution is disrupting the scents that nocturnal pollinators rely on to find flowers, potentially leading to dire consequences for plant communities. The research shows that certain scent chemicals attractive to moths degrade in the presence of NO3, a pollutant formed from car and industrial emissions, leading to a 70% drop in wild moth visitation. This study sheds light on the little-known but detrimental effects of air pollution on wildlife that rely on scent, indicating potential widespread impacts on ecosystems worldwide.