The contribution of nutrients from animal pollinated world crops has not previously been evaluated as a biophysical
measure for the value of pollination services. This study evaluates the nutritional composition of animal-pollinated world
crops. We calculated pollinator dependent and independent proportions of different nutrients of world crops, employing
FAO data for crop production, USDA data for nutritional composition, and pollinator dependency data according to Klein
et al. (2007). Crop plants that depend fully or partially on animal pollinators contain more than 90% of vitamin C, the whole
quantity of Lycopene and almost the full quantity of the antioxidants b-cryptoxanthin and b-tocopherol, the majority of the
lipid, vitamin A and related carotenoids, calcium and fluoride, and a large portion of folic acid. Ongoing pollinator decline
may thus exacerbate current difficulties of providing a nutritionally adequate diet for the global human population.
Contribution of pollinator-mediated crops to nutrients in the human food supply
Year: 2011
