Ecology and Biodiversity
In recent decades, the word “ecology” in Europe has been distorted — now everything from crops to yogurt can be labeled “ecological.” But originally, the term referred to a branch of science focused on studying the relationships between species and the environments in which they live.
What are ecological relationships?
We often hear that biodiversity is important — but why is it important? What does it matter that there are many different species of plants and animals in an ecosystem?
Well, the loss of even a single species can trigger the extinction of others and disrupt the balance of entire ecosystems. It’s like a complex, multi-layered domino effect — and eventually, those falling dominoes will hit us, because whether we like it or not, we’re also part of the ecological puzzle.
This is especially evident in the relationships between plants and insects, which are often closely dependent on one another. For example, bumblebees are large and heavy, so they’re often associated with flowers that can only be opened by insects of the right size and strength. Charles Darwin himself observed that if certain bumblebee species disappear, the plants connected to them will go extinct as well. Another example are plants with very long floral tubes, pollinated by butterflies and moths uniquely adapted to reach inside them.
It’s important to mention here that while honeybees are excellent pollinators of agricultural crops, in the wild they are only effective at pollinating about 10% of all flowering plant species.
Let’s take a look at an ecological web (see illustration below) I once studied. It’s worth remembering that in addition to food relationships, factors like habitat and environmental conditions are also crucial for a species’ survival. At the center of this ecological puzzle is the protected mealy primrose (Primula farinosa).
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The primrose needs sunny habitats. It grows in moist mountain meadows (a type of turf through which water constantly flows). The plants surrounding the primrose must be short, which is why it helps if sheep graze in the area — they keep the vegetation in check. The primrose is associated with…
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The bee-fly! This is the primrose’s pollinator, which has a long, deep floral tube to reach the nectar. Despite its fuzzy body, the bee-fly isn’t a bee at all — it’s a type of fly. The bee-fly is associated with…
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Mining bees and mason bees! Bee-flies are nest parasites — their larvae eat the larvae of solitary bees. So, would it be better if the bee-flies disappeared and left the bees alone? But then… who would pollinate the primrose? These solitary bees nest in the soil or inside hollow plant stems. That means they need dry slopes to safely build their nests — a wet meadow like the primrose’s home is not suitable. From the many insect groups, each with its own specific needs, let’s focus on one species: the spring sharp-tail bee, which is connected to…
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Willows! Sharp-tail bees love willows. These insects appear in early spring — between March and May. In March, very few plants bloom, but wind-pollinated willows do. Willows could technically survive without bees, but bees couldn’t survive without willows. Willows prefer moist habitats, where other small insects also live — like mosquitoes, which are favorite food for birds such as swifts. Willows are also a very important early food source for honeybees. And why is early spring development of honeybee colonies important to us? Because they pollinate agricultural plants that bloom just a little later!
The web keeps branching out, covering more and more interconnected habitats — like the overlapping crowns of trees, all influencing one another. And that’s what ecology is all about.
Take a look at the diagram — you’ll see other species and their interdependencies. Honeybees also pollinate meadow plants and forage crops, which are food for sheep.
Also notice the arrows pointing into empty space — that’s because it’s impossible to show all ecological connections between species and habitats on a single board.
Text by: Martyna Walerowicz for Together for Bees and The Great Exhibition of Bees
Main photo: Maria Nowrot