Pollinators – wildlife worth saving

World Wildlife Day is observed annually on March 3 to celebrate our rich, global heritage of wild plants and animals. The theme of this year’s observance is Partnerships for Wildlife Conservation. Here in Trinidad and Tobago, World Wildlife Day gives us the opportunity to focus on our local species and what is being done and can be done to conserve them.

The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Trinidad and Tobago project (BES-Net TT) is being implemented jointly by the Ministry of Planning and Development and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The project champions the conservation of some of the less noticeable but very important native species that are responsible for the critical process of pollination. This article highlights the work being done to build knowledge and protect these local wildlife species.

Pollination - an important process

Butterflies and bees are easily linked to flowers, as these insects are often seen visiting plants and resting on or hovering near to flowers, which bear the main reproductive structures of flowering plants. Floral visitors make these visits hoping to extract nectar from flower stores to fuel their activities. Depending on the location of the nectar and the mechanism the floral visitor uses to extract this liquid food, pollen grains from the flower may be passively collected by the visitor – on its head, mouthparts, or abdomen. These pollen grains can later be transferred to another flower – hopefully of the same plant species – to initiate the simple process of pollination. Butterflies, bees, birds, bats, beetles, even lizards and spiders, may also function as pollinators on floral visits.

It has been estimated that approximately one-third of all the produce we gather from plants for food has been facilitated through pollinators. Through their generally passive interaction with pollen grains, pollinators transfer male reproductive material from flower to flower. This is the precursor to the important process of fertilisation, in which male reproductive cells from the pollen grains make their way into the female structures of the flower and fuse with the female reproductive cells or ovules. It is only when this process occurs, can the plant produce seeds and fruit to effect plant reproduction.

There are many organisms found in our agricultural systems, some of which are deemed pests and are controlled using various strategies. Unfortunately, not all strategies used in pest control target only the pest species; regular use of broad-spectrum pesticides may also ‘take down’ pollinators in the sweep to eliminate pests. Together with creeping urbanisation, pollution and unregulated felling of trees, the habitats of many of our pollinator species are being eliminated. There are forest and fruit tree species that are unique to our country and the viability of our agricultural production ensures our food security; it is therefore important to know what pollinator species are critical to the reproductive process of these plants. The BES-Net TT project is undertaking a range of activities to unearth this information.

One activity is a field survey of local pollinator species, which is being conducted in partnership with the Trinidad and Tobago Field Naturalists’ Club, through the support of the Global Environment Facility UNDP Small Grants Programme. In both islands, sampling of pollinator species is being carried out at farmlands located near to protected areas, and identification of native bee species found in the samples will be undertaken. The project is also building a plant-pollinator database, by researching the scientific literature on local plant species. Additional field research was conducted in east Trinidad to determine and compare the distribution of pollinator bat species found at disturbed and undisturbed sites. The project is also promoting use of the iNaturalist app, to encourage the average citizen to take photographs of flower visitors and post online for expert identification, to build our local pollinator database.

Information leading to protection

Gathering this information on pollinator species is a first step in actions to conserve them. Bats are currently protected under the Conservation of Wild Life Act. For other species, such as insects and birds, uncovering specific information on their associations with plants as pollinators, may afford policy makers evidence that can be used in review of existing legislation to advise and recommend updates to protect these important species. In the meantime, building public awareness of the value of pollinators in the sustainability of our plant and animal biodiversity is an equally important objective which the BES-Net TT project hopes to fulfil.

For more information on project activities, visit the project’s webpage and social media pages, to become a partner in wild life conservation.

Website: http://www.biodiversity.gov.tt/index.php/bes-net.html

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/besnet.tt/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besnet.tt/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bes-net_tt/videos

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@besnet.tt