Impact of Climate Change on Pollinator Populations in Agricultural Zones

Abstract

Pollinators are essential to agricultural productivity and biodiversity. However, climate change poses serious threats to their abundance and diversity, particularly in vulnerable farming zones. This study investigates the impact of climate variables temperature, rainfall, and humidity on pollinator populations in agricultural regions. It further investigates the understanding of the farmers, bee holders, and agricultural technicians of these developments. A convergent parallel mixed methods study design was applied. The quantitative data were taken as changes in climate and field observations of pollinators. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate the responses collected from a follow-up of 25 stakeholders through qualitative interviews. The results depict a massive loss in the number of pollinators, which was closely related to increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation. These trends were validated by stakeholder reports, and anxiety about the potential future crop productivity was raised. The combined ecological data and local knowledge point to the importance of the region-specific, climate-resistant farming practices and conservative approaches to pollinators.