It has been revealed that the planet hosts a substantially larger number of wild bee species than was previously assumed. A definitive study has, for the very first time, furnished a worldwide tally of bee diversity, indicating their total count surpasses 26,000, which represents about a quarter more than earlier accepted figures.
Despite the crucial role bees play in plant pollination—something vital for both ecological stability and food security—the precise count of their species globally remained an enigma.
Over recent decades, scientific literature offered only fragmented and rough estimates regarding the number of wild bee species, typically falling within the range of 20,000 to 21,000.
To gain a more precise comprehension of global bee distribution, a team of Australian biologists undertook the most extensive statistical evaluation to date concerning their species richness at planetary, continental, and national scales. The findings demonstrated that the actual worldwide species count for bees is 3,771 to 5,230 greater than previously estimated.
As part of their research, published in the journal Nature Communications, the scientists analyzed entomological records, examined species names and synonyms, incorporated data on local bee fauna from 186 nations, and utilized computational modeling alongside other sophisticated techniques.
The culminating data suggests a minimum of 24,705 to 26,164 bee species exist on Earth, encompassing those already known and those yet to be found. This figure outstrips prior rough estimations by 18% to 25%.
The scale of the gap between known and undiscovered species (the taxonomic deficit) differs based on the geographical area. For instance, in Europe, relatively few bee species await discovery, particularly in nations like Sweden and Switzerland, where species richness appears stable. Conversely, researchers forecast that 843 species still need to be found and described in Turkey alone, a number exceeding the total amount for all of continental Europe.
On the whole, the largest taxonomic gap is concentrated in Asia, including the Middle East, where scientists conjecture 2,525 undescribed bee species reside. Following this region are Africa, Europe, Oceania, and finally South and North America.
About the Author
