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Wild Vanilla Habitats and Pollinators Face Steep Declines by 2050

Researchers urge international collaboration to safeguard wild species that underpin vanilla’s genetic resilience.

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Overview

  • Models project that by 2050 several Central American wild vanilla species could lose over half their ecological ranges under both moderate and low-protection climate scenarios.
  • Habitat suitability for all seven examined bee pollinators is expected to decline, shrinking plant–pollinator overlap by 60–90% and threatening natural reproduction.
  • Cultivated Vanilla planifolia carries low genetic diversity that heightens its susceptibility to climate extremes, pests and pathogens.
  • Wild vanilla species represent vital genetic reservoirs that could bolster cultivation resilience if conserved effectively.
  • The authors call for global research partnerships, habitat protection and support for smallholder farmers to secure future vanilla supplies.