Next Article in Journal
Colonial Ascidian Populations at Inshore Coral Reefs of Norfolk Island, South Pacific
Previous Article in Journal
Remote Coastal Weed Infestation Management Using Bayesian Networks
Previous Article in Special Issue
Changes in Population Densities and Species Richness of Pollinators in the Carpathian Basin during the Last 50 Years (Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera)
 
 
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Public Attitudes towards Insect Pollinators in Morocco: Insights from a Pilot Study with Broader Applications

1
Research Team in Science and Technology, Higher School of Technology, University of Ibn Zohr, Laayoune 70000, Morocco
2
Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, 7000 Mons, Belgium
3
International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rabat 10000, Morocco
4
Department of Economics and Management, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Larache, Abdelmalek Essaadi University, Tetouan 93030, Morocco
5
Engineering Laboratory of Organometallic, Molecular Materials and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez 30000, Morocco
6
Euro-Mediterranean University of Fes, Fez 30100, Morocco
7
Laboratory of Bioresources, Biotechnology, Ethnopharmacology, and Health, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed First University, BV Mohammed VI, Oujda 60000, Morocco
8
Department of Biology, Dawson College, 3040 Sherbrooke St. W, Montreal, QC H3Z 1A4, Canada
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diversity 2024, 16(7), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070383
Submission received: 23 May 2024 / Revised: 24 June 2024 / Accepted: 28 June 2024 / Published: 30 June 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Effects of Pollinator Loss on Biodiversity)

Abstract

This pilot study provides insights into the Moroccan public’s understanding and willingness to engage in insect pollinator preservation, highlighting widespread awareness alongside significant knowledge gaps. The success of biodiversity conservation efforts, especially those aimed at insect pollinators, is greatly enhanced by an informed and committed populace. Understanding public perceptions of insect pollinators is important as it shapes the effectiveness of conservation strategies and their implementation. Although our pilot study does not include every demographic of Moroccan society, it does include an important portion of the populace: educated urban youth. This is a key portion of the population that will be crucial in developing future conservation strategies, especially given the tendency towards increasing urbanization putting cities at the forefront of sustainable development. Our study aimed to assess opinions on insect pollinators, their services, and their declining population numbers in Morocco. We conducted a survey distributed mainly through the media over four months, receiving responses from 301 individuals. The results indicate that the public is aware of decreasing insect pollinator populations and their main threats, and shows a willingness to participate in conservation strategies. However, gaps persist in understanding the roles and ecology of pollinators. While honey bees and bumble bees are well-recognized for their role in pollinating agricultural and wild plants, there is less awareness about other common pollinators such as solitary bees and flies. Additionally, the essential contributions of non-bee pollinators remain widely overlooked. To address these findings, we recommend implementing specialized educational initiatives to increase public understanding of the vital functions of non-bee pollinators in supporting ecosystem services. In order to adopt a more encompassing strategy for the conservation of insect pollinators, upcoming outreach efforts within the national biodiversity strategy should emphasize the contributions made by lesser-known non-bee insect pollinators and strive to engage sectors of the population currently less involved in pollinator conservation. However, while this pilot study provides valuable insights, the sample size limits the generalizability of these conclusions. Future research with larger and more diverse samples would be beneficial to validate and expand upon these findings in order to provide a more comprehensive understanding of all areas of public perception and engagement in pollinator conservation in Morocco. Expanding sampling to include older, less educated, and less urban demographics would strengthen these initial insights and broaden their application, especially beyond urban attitudes.
Keywords: bee population decline; biodiversity conservation; ecosystem services; non-bee pollinators; public engagement; science communication bee population decline; biodiversity conservation; ecosystem services; non-bee pollinators; public engagement; science communication

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Sabbahi, R.; El Abdouni, I.; Lhomme, P.; Boubker, O.; Azzaoui, K.; Hammouti, B.; Neffa, M.; Hock, V. Public Attitudes towards Insect Pollinators in Morocco: Insights from a Pilot Study with Broader Applications. Diversity 2024, 16, 383. https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070383

AMA Style

Sabbahi R, El Abdouni I, Lhomme P, Boubker O, Azzaoui K, Hammouti B, Neffa M, Hock V. Public Attitudes towards Insect Pollinators in Morocco: Insights from a Pilot Study with Broader Applications. Diversity. 2024; 16(7):383. https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070383

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sabbahi, Rachid, Insafe El Abdouni, Patrick Lhomme, Omar Boubker, Khalil Azzaoui, Belkheir Hammouti, Mounsef Neffa, and Virginia Hock. 2024. "Public Attitudes towards Insect Pollinators in Morocco: Insights from a Pilot Study with Broader Applications" Diversity 16, no. 7: 383. https://doi.org/10.3390/d16070383

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop