Researchers at the University of Virginia have found that air pollution from power plants and vehicles destroys the scent of flowers, making it difficult for pollinating insects to follow fragrant aromas to their source.
The study indicates that diminishing scent trails could be a reason for declining populations of pollinators, particularly bees. Jose Fuentes (center in photo) professor of environmental sciences at the University of VA and co-author of the study, said that "scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment, such as in the 1800's, could travel for roughly 1000 to 1200 meters; but in today's polluted environment, downwind of major cities, they may travel only 200 to 300 meters." Fuentes noted that this makes it very difficult for pollinators to locate flowers and the nectar they need for food.
Fuentes and his research team found that scent molecules produced by flowers are very volatile and bond with pollutants such as ozone that destroy their odors. Therefore, the scents are chemically altered and destroyed, and when they travel on the wind, they no longer have the aroma of flowers. The scientists believe that the pollinators are having to search longer distances to find sources of food, and perhaps are relying on sight instead of smell.
"It quickly became apparent that air pollution destroys the aroma of flowers by as much as 90 percent from periods before automobiles and heavy industry," said Fuentes. "And the more air pollution there is in a region, the greater the destruction of flower scents."
The entire study appears online in the journal Atmospheric Environment.
All the more reason, readers, to get on the "green" bandwagon.
It is imperative that the Government get involved to sort out this "crisis". The problem is that this issue is not a "clear and present danger" so it will be left on the backburner until things get out of hand, which is pretty much how society functions today.
Posted by: Alykhan Virani | August 13, 2008 at 05:08 PM