this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2025
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Wildflowers could be absorbing toxic metals from soil in urban areas and passing toxins on to pollinators, a study has found.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that common plants including white clover and bindweed, which are vital forage for pollinators in cities, can accumulate arsenic, cadmium, chromium and lead from contaminated soils.

These metals have been found in previous studies to damage the health of bees and other pollinators, which feed on the contaminated nectar. This leads to reduced population sizes and death. Even low metal levels in nectar can hinder bees’ learning and memory, which degrades their foraging abilities.

The contaminated soils tend to be on land previously used for buildings and factories, which have leached these pollutants into the land. The scientists who carried out the study are now recommending that urban areas are tested for contaminants and potentially cleaned before wildflowers are planted.

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[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

My money is on nanoplastics as well

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Don't forget neonicotinoids too.

[–] Reverendender@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Ugh. How could I have forgotten?! Life is pretty busy right now, but I won’t make excuses.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago
[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 2 points 1 week ago (2 children)

alot of plants are hyper-accumulators of toxins since they absorb nutrients through thier roots, they are useful for bioremediation.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

just need a fast growing plant you can harvest, and throw away. mushroom/fungi are really good at that too, they found wild boars had abnormally high amount of radioactive elements in the chernobyl region, despite the relative environment being low in the elements, it was the truffles the boars were eating.

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 1 week ago

Like sunflowers!

[–] BigMikeInAustin@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

What kind of metal do the bees like the most?

  • Black Sabbath
  • Metallica
  • Killswitch Engage
  • Opeth

/s

[–] Ledericas@lemm.ee 5 points 1 week ago

Heavy metals, so yea.