Climate impacts apple pollination, yield and economic outcomes of farmers

Publication Type

Journal Article

Journal Name

Science of the Total Environment

Name of Author

• Clémence Riva, Université Paris-Saclay
• Stella Gachoki, Université Paris-Saclay
• Noureddine Adjlane, Université de Boumerdes
• Danilo Bevk, Univerza v Ljubljani
• Yamina Haider, Université de Boumerdes
• Fani Hatjina, Institute of Animal Science
• Šimun Kolega, University of Zadar
• Marin Kovačić, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku
• Ioannis Manthos, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO)-DIMITRA
• Zlatko Puškadija, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku
• Thomas Sotiropoulos, Hellenic Agricultural Organization (ELGO)— ‘DIMITRA’
• Bojan Stipešević, Sveučilište Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku
• Fabrice Requier, Université Paris-Saclay

Publication Date

5-10-2026

Abstract

Animal-mediated pollination is crucial to global food production but is increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, habitat loss and climate change. The extent to which temperature affects pollination services and crop yields is poorly understood. Using standardised monitoring in 33 apple orchards across Europe and Northern Africa over two years, this study assessed how ambient temperature affects flower visitors, fruit set, fruit quality and economic outcomes. Observation-time warm temperatures increased pollinator abundance, particularly of honey bees, while long-term mean annual temperatures enhanced pollination services for apple weight. Apple yield and the economic benefits to farmers increase with temperature, while the role of pollinators decreases along the climatic long-term mean annual temperature. These important findings suggest that another process may be at play beyond animal-mediated pollination. It was hypothesised that wind-mediated pollination may occur preferentially in Mediterranean regions, where farmers adapt their management strategies to benefit from this service. These results highlight the effects of climate change on agricultural production, the economic outcomes of farmers and food security and emphasise the need for climate-resilient strategies to support animal-mediated pollination and other ecosystem services.

Keywords

Animal-mediated pollination, Climate change, Economic value, Insect pollinators, Malus domestica, Pollination services

Recommended Citation

Riva, C., Gachoki, S., Adjlane, N., Bevk, D., Haider, Y., Hatjina, F., Kolega, Š., Kovačić, M., Manthos, I., Puškadija, Z., Sotiropoulos, T., Stipešević, B., & Requier, F. (2026). Climate impacts apple pollination, yield and economic outcomes of farmers. Science of the Total Environment, 1029 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2026.181767

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.