“A critical missing piece in the biodiversity discussion has been a lack of direct linkages to human health,” said Dr Samuel Myers, at Harvard University’s TH Chan School of Public Health and senior author of the study. “This research establishes that loss of pollinators is already impacting health on a scale with other global health risk factors, such as prostate cancer or substance use disorders.""But there is a solution out there in pollinator-friendly practices,” Myers said. Noted methods include cutting pesticide use, especially neonicotinoids which have catastrophic impact on pollinators, increase of flowers on farms, and restoration or preservation of nearby natural habitats. “When these have been studied, they pay for themselves economically through increased production.” Nonetheless, the researchers said “immense challenges remain” in restoring pollinator populations globally.
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