Research by Dr Sarah Scott, a member of our Agroecology Group, and colleagues published today in the journal  Ecology and Evolution shows that toxins accumulated in wildflowers can damage the health of pollinators.

Dr Scott who is first author of the report, said: “We hope this study will raise awareness that soil health is also important for bee health. Before planting wildflowers in urban areas to attract bees and other pollinators, it’s important to consider the history of the land and what might be in the soil – and if necessary find out whether there’s a local soil testing and cleanup service available first.”

The study was carried out in the post-industrial US city of Cleveland, Ohio and funded primarily by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
 

Text by Jacqueline Garget.  Read her full report about this research on the University of Cambridge website.

Image: Chickory flowering in a vacant lot. Photo credit: Sarah Scott