Coupling of pollination services and coffee suitability under climate change

With changing climate, crops may need to be relocated to new regions for optimal growth temperatures or precipitation, but temperature and rainfall are not the sole influencers of productivity. Many crops, including coffee, depend on pollinators, which may or may not be available in other regions. Imbach et al. modelled future projections for both coffee-suitable and bee-suitable regions. Their results showed large decreases in coffee-suitable regions by 2050. They found that some future coffee-suitable regions will show an increase in bee richness and many others will show a decrease, although all are expected to sustain at least five bee species. This study highlights the need to assess coupled effects of climate change on crops and their pollinators, especially for planning future land use practices. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 10.1073/pnas.1617940114.