A new study conducted at Rothamsted, southeast England, has found that using high levels of common fertilizers on grasslands significantly reduces the number of pollinators and flowering plants. The research, published on Monday, was part of the world’s longest-running ecological experiment, established in 1856. The study’s authors discovered that flower abundance and species richness were over five and eight times greater, respectively, in untreated plots compared to those receiving the highest amount of fertilizer.
Additionally, pollinator abundance was 95% greater, and species richness was 84% greater in plots without fertilizer treatment. Bees, a crucial group of pollinators, were found to be more numerous in untreated plots. While all pollinator species were present in untreated plots and those with low fertilizer levels, plots with high fertilizer levels were dominated by flies and beetles.
Fertilizers impact flower and bee diversity
The authors emphasized the need for financial incentives to offset potential yield reductions in order to improve biodiversity outcomes in agricultural grasslands. They noted that nearly a quarter of the Earth’s land area is agricultural grassland, supporting over 800 million people.
While fertilization has boosted global food production, it also poses risks such as environmental degradation and adverse effects on human health and welfare. In the United States, fertilizer consumption peaked in 1981 at 23.7 million nutrient short tons. Usage dropped in 2008 due to record high prices and continued to decline through 2010.
Although there has been some recovery, prices this year are trending downward. The study’s authors concluded, “This is a critical moment for land use policy globally, with many countries, including the UK and the European Union, currently undertaking significant green reforms of their agricultural policies.”
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