The Forgotten Pollinators

Popular environmental literature has generally overlooked the role of pollinators--animals such as bees, beetles, butterflies, moths and bats. In fact, our information on pollinator-plant interaction may be the weakest link in understanding how ecosystems function, say the authors. This book is the centerpiece of a public-awareness campaign based at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Buchmann, a leading authority on pollination, and Nabhan (The Desert Smells Like Rain) explore this vital link between plants and their pollinators. It is a disturbing story of disappearing insects and diminishing plant reproduction, owing to overuse of pesticide and fragmented habitat. The authors combine anecdotes from the field with discussions of ecology, entomology, botany, crop science and the economics of pollination. Stories range from the Virgin River in Utah to the Galapagos and a honey-gathering ritual in Malaysia. Their studies show that wildland protection is fundamental to sustaining agricultural productivity. This important addition to the environmental bookshelf is enlivened by Mirocha's delightful drawings. (July)