A recently published study revealed that air pollution, particularly ozone, dramatically reduces pollination by degrading the scent of flowers. This degradation affects bees’ ability to locate these flowers. The research was a collaborative effort between the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and the Universities of Reading, Surrey, Birmingham, and Southern Queensland. Ozone was found to alter the size and scent of floral odour plumes significantly. Alarmingly, it reduced honeybees’ ability to recognize odours by up to 90% from just a few meters away. Ground-level ozone typically forms when nitrogen oxide emissions from vehicles and industrial processes react with … Continue reading Ozone’s Invisible Threat: How Air Pollution Alters Bee Navigation and Our Food Chain