Losing the Buzz What do coffee, bees and Climate change have to do with each other? According to new research, a whole lot more than we thought! Pollinators, including our friends the bees, play a key part of producing coffee beans. But climate change is threatening both pollinators and the areas where coffee can grow. A new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reported that by 2050, climate change could reduce the amount of usable land to grow the coffee bean by around 88 % in Latin America! This would mean the loss of two types of much-appreciated buzz sources! Final Jeopardy: More Pollinator species in trouble After a major global assessment of our world’s pollinators, major concerns about our planet's food supply has been raised! A U.N.-sponsored reports concluded around 40 percent of pollinator species are facing extinction. With out them, around 75 percent of the world's food crops would be facing issues as they depend at least partly on pollination. The article goes on to report ways to support our pollinators in need to prevent further impact. Long Legged Adaptation Have you ever heard of the African long legged bee? We hadn’t either until we can across findings from the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. They recently published research explaining that the unusual leg length of these bees is actually an adaptation in response to the long spurs of the snapdragon flower. These long legged bees are one of the few species that collect oil from oil producing plants, rather than the usual nectar. These findings are important as there is not a lot of information on the relationship between these types of bees and flowers. Like many pollinating species, oil-collecting bees are also facing a major threat due to man's activities, specifically urbanization. This type of research will help scientist understand these pollinators better, and hopefully, will help prevent further damage from mankind. ***Pop Quiz!*** The Line Up Think you know your bees? The New York Times created a quick quiz to test your knowledge! Are they bees? Are they flies? It’s time to find out!
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