The effects of climate change on boreal plant-pollinator interactions are largely neglected by science

Abstract

The boreal forest, one of the world's largest terrestrial biomes, is currently experiencing rapid climate-driven changes. This review synthesizes the limited research available on climate-change impacts on boreal plant-pollinator systems, revealing several knowledge gaps and shedding light on the vulnerabilities of boreal ecosystems. Using four complementary Web of Science searches, we found 5198 articles, of which only 11 were relevant. Our findings reveal that research on boreal plant-pollinator interactions is limited to date, as is our understanding of the insect fauna and pollination systems in the boreal region. Existing research often focuses on conspicuous plants, neglecting many other ecologically significant species. In addition, current studies often lack detailed data on pollinator species, which restricts our capacity to assess the vulnerability of specific plant-pollinator interactions to climate change. For example, most articles use plant reproductive success as a proxy for pollinator effectiveness without considering pollinator identity. This approach successfully assesses overall plant fitness, but overlooks changes to pollinator communities, such as those resulting from thermophilization, that may be relevant to projecting climate-change impacts. Moreover, pollinator taxon seems to affect the responses of plant reproduction to warming, with fly-pollinated plants appearing to be more resilient to temperature changes than bee-pollinated plants. Future research should prioritize foundational plant species and key pollinators, including flies, which are crucial to boreal pollination ecology. Understanding species-specific responses to warming is equally important for identifying which species and interactions may be most vulnerable to climate change. Studies should also examine the role of forest microclimates, as they may buffer boreal regions during broader climatic shifts, helping to mitigate the impacts of warming on these ecosystems. Addressing these gaps is essential for predicting climate impacts on boreal biodiversity and for informing conservation strategies that support biodiversity and benefit human communities reliant on boreal ecosystem services.