A new study has revealed that car and truck exhaust fumes that foul the air for humans also cause problems for pollinators.
According to the scientists of University of Washington and University of Arizona, both natural plant odors and human sources of pollution can conceal the scent of sought-after flowers
The researchers have revealed that when the calories from one feeding of a flower gets you only 15 minutes of flight, as is the case with the tobacco hornworn moth studied, being misled costs a pollinator energy and time.
Jeffrey Riffell, UW assistant professor of biology, said that local vegetation can mask the scent of flowers because the background scents activate the same moth olfactory channels as floral scents.
He said that chemicals in these scents are similar to those emitted from exhaust engines and we found that pollutant concentrations equivalent to urban environments can decrease the ability of pollinators to find flowers.
Riffell added that moths are not important pollinators in urban environments, but these same volatiles from vehicles may affect pollinators like honeybees or bumblebees, which are more prevalent in many urban areas.
