Plants Are Evolving to Self Pollinate Due to Declining Insect Populations

The link between plants and insects has existed for millennia. Eighty percent of angiosperms (flowering plants) traditionally rely on insects to transport pollen from one plant to the next. In this way, the insects assist the plants’ reproduction by carrying genetic material between different individuals. In exchange, insects get a sweet treat courtesy of the sugary nectar that plants produce. However, a new study published in the journal New Phytologist has found that declining insect populations are driving some plants toward self-pollination. This helps the plants in the short term but may limit the plants’ future abilities to adapt to climate change.

The study looked at four different populations of French wild pansies near Paris. They chose this region because it is an area that is low in number and varieties of insect pollinators. They found that the plants had a 27 percent increase in self-pollination rates, and had developed characteristics that made them less attractive to insect pollinators. These characteristics included smaller flowers and less nectar production. The findings suggest that these four populations of French wild pansies are moving away from insect pollination towards high rates of self-pollination. 

The findings show that declining insect populations are directly affecting these flowers’ evolution. Sadly, this may create a cycle that further drives declines in insect numbers. If food sources become less readily available, which would happen if flowers reduce their nectar production, this could make it more difficult for insects to survive. To halt this cycle, radical conservation efforts are needed. 

Insect populations across Europe have declined rapidly since the late 1980s. A 2017 study measured a 75 percent decline in the biomass of flying insects caught in traps. If numbers continue to decline, researchers warn that more flowering plants may begin to adapt to be able to self-pollinate. 

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