Emerging Effects of Pollinator Loss on Biodiversity

Dear Colleagues,

Pollinators play a crucial role in the maintenance of the world's biodiversity and in the functioning of ecosystems. They are essential for the pollination of flowering plants, which make up the majority of terrestrial biodiversity. However, in recent years, there has been growing concern regarding the loss of pollinators due to human activities such as habitat destruction, pesticide use, loss of floral food/forage resources, electromagnetic radiation of mobile telecommunication antennas and climate change.

The loss of pollinators has significant implications for biodiversity, including reduced plant reproduction, loss of genetic diversity, and changes in community composition. Moreover, pollinators are crucial for food security as they contribute to the production of approximately one-third of the world's food crops. Therefore, the decline of pollinators has far-reaching consequences for the sustainability of our ecosystems and the well-being of human populations.

Despite the importance of pollinators, there is still much to be understood about the impacts of their loss on biodiversity. This Special Issue aims to review recent studies and collect new data on the biodiversity of pollinators and their food plants, mutualistic plant–pollinators networks, the effect of mass crops on the pollinators, the effects of invasive plants on pollinators, the effects of invasive insects on the pollination of indigenous plants, and the effects of pollinator loss on biodiversity, as well as add more data on the problem generalization vs. specialization in the pollination systems; last but not least, this Special Issue aims to explore potential solutions to address pollinators’ decline, for instance, the sustainable planting of wild flower belts in agricultural lands without introducing alien plants, the use of biopesticides that are harmless to pollinators, etc. Ultimately, this Special Issue aims to contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationships between pollinators and biodiversity, and promote actions to protect these vital species.

In honor of Prof David Firmage.

Prof. Dr. Ekaterina Kozuharova
Dr. Toshko Ljubomirov
Guest Editors

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