Pollination and Food Security in a Changing Environment

Pollination is a fundamental ecological process that supports plant reproduction, sustains biodiversity, and plays a critical role in global food production. A substantial proportion of agricultural crops and wild plant species depend on biotic pollination, making pollinators essential components of ecosystem functioning and food security. Ongoing pressures from land-use change, agricultural intensification, habitat loss, and environmental variability are reshaping plant–pollinator interactions across both natural and managed ecosystems. At the same time, increasing global demand for food underscores the importance of understanding how pollination processes contribute to resilient and sustainable food systems. Research on pollination spans diverse approaches, including field-based observations, experimental studies, and agricultural assessments. Integrating these perspectives is essential for advancing knowledge of pollination processes and for informing biodiversity conservation and sustainable food production strategies.The goal of this Research Topic is to advance understanding of how pollination processes influence food security under changing environmental conditions. Despite the central role of pollination in sustaining agricultural productivity and ecosystem stability, knowledge remains fragmented across ecological, agricultural, and applied research domains. This Research Topic aims to bring together diverse studies that examine plant–pollinator relationships, pollination processes, and their consequences for crop production and ecosystem services. By integrating empirical field studies, experimental research, observational analyses, and synthesis efforts, this collection seeks to identify key drivers shaping pollination outcomes in both natural and managed systems. Emphasis is placed on research that improves our ability to assess pollination dynamics, evaluate risks to pollination services, and inform sustainable agricultural and conservation practices. Collectively, the contributions will provide insights that support resilient food systems, biodiversity conservation, and evidence-based decision-making related to pollination and food security.This Research Topic invites contributions that examine pollination processes and their relevance to food security across natural and managed ecosystems. Relevant themes include plant–pollinator interactions, pollination ecology in agricultural systems, biodiversity and ecosystem services, crop pollination, pollinator conservation, and the effects of environmental variability on pollination outcomes. Studies addressing spatial and temporal patterns, empirical field observations, experimental approaches, or integrative assessments are particularly encouraged. Contributions may focus on terrestrial ecosystems at local, regional, or global scales. The Research Topic welcomes original research articles, review papers, perspectives, and methodological contributions that advance understanding of pollination processes and inform sustainable food production and conservation strategies. Interdisciplinary studies linking ecological research with agricultural practices or ecosystem management are especially welcome. Topic editors: Behnaz Balmaki, James M. W. Ryalls Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80903/pollination-and-food-security-in-a-changing-environment