Worldwide occurrence records suggest a global decline in bee species richness

Wild and managed bees are key pollinators, ensuring or enhancing the reproduction of a large fraction of the world's wild flowering plants and the yield of similar to 85% of all cultivated crops. Recent reports of wild bee decline and its potential consequences are thus worrisome. However, evidence is mostly based on local or regional studies; the global status of bee decline has not been assessed yet. To fill this gap, we analyzed publicly available worldwide occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility spanning over a century. We found that after the 1990s, the number of collected bee species declines steeply such that approximately 25% fewer species were reported between 2006 and 2015 than before the 1990s. Although these trends must be interpreted cautiously given the heterogeneous nature of the dataset and potential biases in data collection and reporting, results suggest the need for swift actions to avoid further pollinator decline.

Automated summary

Wild and managed bees are important pollinators, but recent studies show a significant decline in bee species after the 1990s. The decrease in bee species poses a risk to plant reproduction and crop yields, highlighting the need for urgent action to prevent further decline in pollinators.