Pollination deficits increase with urbanization in Chicago

Urban Farm DB summary

This study investigated how urbanization relates to pollination by growing 240 plants (squash and tomato) across six sites with varying urbanization levels in Chicago, Illinois. For tomatoes, the magnitude of pollen limitation increased with greater impervious surface, indicating more pronounced pollination deficits at highly urbanized sites. For squash, evidence of pollen limitation was found only at the most urban site, with a weak trend of pollen limitation of fruit set (but not seed set) increasing with impervious surface.