Once plentiful in most of the world's temperate oceans, the swordfish has been depleted due to the steady demand for its meat. Despite reductions in the total swordfish catch in the late 1990s, the species remains depleted in the North Atlantic. By contrast, data for the South Atlantic show that swordfish catches there are probably sustainable. Farmers May Need Natural Pollinators Bees, butterflies and other animals which feed on the pollen and nectar of flowering plants offer one of the most effective examples of the interdependence of life. Many plant species rely on one or a few species of pollinators for reproduction, so maintaining a healthy population of these species is crucial for any ecosystem.
Pollinators are also vital to agriculture.
The introduced honey bee, the most economically important insect in the U.S., has declined sharply due to an outbreak of various honey bee diseases. As a result, farmers may need to rely more on native bees to ensure the success of their crops. Consequently, WCS Associate Conservationist Claire Kremen is currently examining how native pollinators could be used to offset the decline in honey bees. Natural habitats that produce native bees, Kremen suspects, may be crucial to maintaining crop production, a hypothesis which, if proven, would create a powerful incentive for wild land conservation. Kremen's research is centered on melon crops in Yolo and Solano counties in California.