WASHINGTON -- Pity the honeybee, hummingbird, and bat.
And possibly us.
A report issued yesterday by the National Academy of Sciences said that the three species are ``demonstrably" declining in the United States and Canada, and that their losses are affecting not just their populations -- but potentially parts of various ecosystems, including some parts of our food supply.
The birds, bees, and bats are pollinators, and nearly three-quarters of all flowering plants depend on them to spread pollen so that fertilization can occur and fruits, nuts, and vegetables can grow.
The decline of pollinators ``is one form of global change that actually has credible potential to alter the shape and structure of terrestrial ecosystems," May R. Berenbaum , chairwoman of the committee that studied the issue, said in a statement.
And possibly us.
A report issued yesterday by the National Academy of Sciences said that the three species are ``demonstrably" declining in the United States and Canada, and that their losses are affecting not just their populations -- but potentially parts of various ecosystems, including some parts of our food supply.
The birds, bees, and bats are pollinators, and nearly three-quarters of all flowering plants depend on them to spread pollen so that fertilization can occur and fruits, nuts, and vegetables can grow.
The decline of pollinators ``is one form of global change that actually has credible potential to alter the shape and structure of terrestrial ecosystems," May R. Berenbaum , chairwoman of the committee that studied the issue, said in a statement.
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