UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA Study: Climate change alters flower nectar quality and supply

The experiment, carried out by Katherine Peel, a MSc student, from Dr. Kharouba’s research lab, and collaborators from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Western University, took place at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden in Ottawa. The team ensured that only the plants were warmed and that the butterflies remained at regular outdoor temperatures. The results were clear: as the temperature crept up, late-season flowers produced less nectar, and what they did produce was lower in sugar.

Scientists have known for years that monarchs are in trouble, but this study uncovers a more subtle risk. “We’re seeing that climate change can hit pollinators indirectly, by degrading the resources they count on,” explains Professor Kharouba. “I believe the findings are a wakeup call for anyone working to protect these butterflies and, really, for anyone planting a garden or maintaining a park as the planet heats up.”

The research also inspired a unique blend of science and art. The study was the focus of visual artist Valérie Chartrand through an exhibition called Flutterings: Monarchs and Climate Change, hoping to spark new conversations about how we care for the creatures around us and to demonstrate how art-science collaborations can deepen public understanding of complex environmental issues.