Article
Ecology
Clint R. Otto, Larissa L. Bailey, Autumn H. Smart
Summary: Understanding habitat needs and patch utilization of wild and managed bees has been identified as a national research priority in the United States. Occupancy models were used to investigate patterns of bee use across transects in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). Wild bees favored transects with higher flower richness, while honey bees were more frequently detected on transects with non-native flowers. Overall, wild bees and honey bees showed potential for resource overlap on non-native flowers in the PPR.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yahya Al Naggar, Markus Brinkmann, Christie M. Sayes, Saad N. AL-Kahtani, Showket A. Dar, Hesham R. El-Seedi, Bernd Gruenewald, John P. Giesy
Summary: Microplastics (MPs) are widespread and persistent pollutants found in various media, with potential negative effects on the health and fitness of honey bees. Further research is needed to assess the risks of MPs to bees before they can be considered a potential threat.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Claus Rasmussen, Yoko L. Dupont, Henning Bang Madsen, Petr Bogusch, Dave Goulson, Lina Herbertsson, Kate Pereira Maia, Anders Nielsen, Jens M. Olesen, Simon G. Potts, Stuart P. M. Roberts, Markus Arne Kjaer Sydenham, Per Kryger
Summary: The study identified and summarized forage plants for honey bees and wild bee species in Denmark, finding that they share 176 plant genera. Although no significant relationship was found between the overlap of honey bees and wild bees and their forage specialization or conservation status, data for individual species could be summarized.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hamidreza Ardalani, Nanna Hjort Vidkjaer, Bente B. Laursen, Per Kryger, Inge S. Fomsgaard
Summary: This study investigated the effects of dietary quercetin on the concentration of pesticides in honey bees. The results showed that quercetin intake can reduce the concentration of imidacloprid in bees, but had no significant effect on tebuconazole and tau-fluvalinate concentrations.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Julia Osterman, Panagiotis Theodorou, Rita Radzeviciute, Pascal Schnitker, Robert J. Paxton
Summary: The study found that as the percentage of oilseed rape increased in the surrounding landscape, the number of honey bees visiting apple flowers decreased while other wild bee populations increased, indicating that local wild bee populations may compensate for the loss of honey bees in providing effective pollination services for apple. The research underscores the importance of bees in apple pollination and the need for wild bee conservation to ensure pollination insurance and stability of apple crop yields under changing agricultural policies.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura T. Ward, Michelle L. Hladik, Aidee Guzman, Sara Winsemius, Ariana Bautista, Claire Kremen, Nicholas J. Mills
Summary: Bees are essential for crop pollination, but their populations are declining due to intensified agricultural practices. Field border plants that attract pollinators can increase bee diversity and abundance, but they may also contain pesticides. This study collected various samples for pesticide residue analysis and found that exposure to pesticides among wild bees is largely unknown, highlighting the need for more information to inform agricultural practices and regulations aimed at protecting bees.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
James Wolfin, Eric Watkins, Ian Lane, Zachary M. Portman, Marla Spivak
Summary: Introducing low-growing flowers to turfgrass lawns promoted bee diversity and reduced inputs. Florally-enhanced lawns supported more diverse bee communities compared to lawns with just white clover. This research highlights the potential importance of flowering species in supporting bee pollinators in urban and suburban areas.
Article
Ecology
Lucas A. Garibaldi, Nestor Perez-Mendez, Guaraci D. Cordeiro, Alice Hughes, Michael Orr, Isabel Alves-dos-Santos, Breno M. Freitas, Favizia Freitas de Oliveira, Gretchen LeBuhn, Ignasi Bartomeus, Marcelo A. Aizen, Patricia B. Andrade, Betina Blochtein, Danilo Boscolo, Patricia M. Drumond, Maria Cristina Gaglianone, Barbara Gemmill-Herren, Rosana Halinski, Cristiane Krug, Marcia Motta Maues, Lucia H. Piedade Kiill, Mardiore Pinheiro, Carmen S. S. Pires, Blandina Felipe Viana
Summary: The study found that the invasive African honey bee has become the most dominant bee species in Brazil, negatively impacting the abundance and diversity of native bees. Contrary to expectations, honey bees did not have stronger negative impacts than other native bees on the bee community.
Article
Ecology
Maureen L. Page, Neal M. Williams
Summary: Human-mediated species introductions provide real-time experiments in studying how communities respond to interspecific competition. This study investigates the impact of introduced honey bees on native bees' visitation patterns, pollen diets, and floral resource availability. The results show that honey bee competition leads to decreased floral resources and alters native bees' visitation behavior, highlighting the importance of floral resource preservation in mitigating negative impacts of honey bee competition.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Lise Ropars, Laurence Affre, Elisa Thebault, Benoit Geslin
Summary: Due to the widespread use of pesticides and the lack of floral resources, many beekeepers have moved honey bee colonies to protected areas, which could impact the diversity of wild bees. This two-year study in a Mediterranean protected area examined the seasonal dynamics of competition between honey bees and wild bees. The study found that competition for floral resources from honey bees is strongest in early spring and then decreases throughout the season for all groups of wild bees. The presence of honey bees resulted in competitive exclusion and changed the floral preferences of large and small bees.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Aniko Kovacs-Hostyanszki, Zoltan Soltesz, Viktor Szigeti, Laszlo Somay, Andras Baldi
Summary: The study reveals that 2-3 years old set-aside fields surrounding farmlands may enhance the populations of ecosystem service providers, particularly bees and predatory wasps. However, different insect groups may have varying responses and sensitivities to the presence of set-aside fields.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Garland Xie, Nicholas Sookhan, Kelly A. Carscadden, James Scott MacIvor
Summary: The study explores biodiversity patterns along urbanization gradients using ecological traits, but did not find evidence for environmental filtering based on these traits. Certain ecological traits were found to influence species performance in urban environments, with some species better adapting to urban areas.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Ge Zhang, Rae L. Olsson, Brandon Kingsley Hopkins
Summary: Billions of kilograms of pesticides are applied annually to crop fields worldwide to suppress pests, diseases, and weeds. However, these pesticides can harm honey bees, which are vital for pollination and crop quality. The conflict between pesticide use and reliance on honey bees leads to significant colony losses. This review discusses strategies and techniques for reducing pesticide exposure and protecting honey bees, highlighting the need for comprehensive assessment and adoption of pesticide mitigation practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Martin Giurfa
Summary: Studies have shown that even the miniature brain of honey bees is capable of learning conceptual relationships such as 'same' and 'different' and applying them to novel stimuli. This challenges the traditional view that larger brains are necessary for the elaboration of concepts.
CURRENT OPINION IN BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Stacy C. Simanonok, Clint R. V. Otto, Deborah A. Buhl
Summary: The study found that wild bees prefer to visit native flowers, while honey bees tend to visit non-native flowers more often. The data suggests that bee visitation data alone do not reveal patterns of forb selection or avoidance. Results indicated that some forbs recommended by the USDA are preferred by bees, while others are avoided.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Victoria A. Reynolds, Saul A. Cunningham, Romina Rader, Margaret M. Mayfield
Summary: Crop type and phenology have significant effects on the community structure and pollen load composition of pollinators in remnant vegetation in fragmented agricultural landscapes. Honeybees are the most abundant pollinators, and their abundance increases in adjacent reserves after canola bloom. Native bees are the most diverse and have more mixed pollen loads when sampled next to canola fields.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Jeremy Jones, Romina Rader
Summary: Bee and non-bee insect pollinators are crucial for food crop production, but nutritional challenges in agricultural landscapes are reducing pollinator populations. Efforts to enhance crop pollinator health through floral resource plantings have been inconsistent in achieving desired pollination outcomes. Tailored habitat enhancements, based on understanding the needs of specific pollinators, are necessary to support pollinator health and crop pollination outcomes.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Erandi C. W. Subasinghe Arachchige, Lisa J. Evans, Ulrika Samnegard, Romina Rader
Summary: Hybrid crops rely more on pollinators compared to open-pollinated crops, and some viable pollen grains can be produced from triploid watermelons, but with a low germination rate, indicating a minimal effect on hybrid watermelon reproduction.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Ulrika Samnegard, Liam K. Kendall, Martin E. Brummell, Maurizio Rocchetti, Karen Cristine Bezerra da Silva Santos, Henrik G. Smith, Romina Rader
Summary: This study investigates the impact of different blooming periods on pollinator community and pollination services in a highbush blueberry system. The results show that pollinator abundances, bee foraging behavior, and stigmatic pollen loads change with the blooming period. Honey bees exhibit stronger foraging behavior and higher stigmatic pollen loads, with a more significant effect during late blooming. The decline in stingless bee abundance may lead to a reduction in heterospecific pollen deposition on blueberry stigmas.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Abby E. Davis, Daniel J. Bickel, Manu E. Saunders, Romina Rader
Summary: Insects, including bees, play a crucial role in pollinating food crops and wild plants. The diet and habitat needs of bee taxa are well known, but not as much for other pollinating insects. Understanding the diversity in diet and habitat of non-bee pollinators is important for their conservation and management.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jose B. Lanuza, Romina Rader, Jamie Stavert, Liam K. K. Kendall, Manu E. E. Saunders, Ignasi Bartomeus
Summary: Globally, there is a wide variation in life-history strategies and traits among plants. This study focuses on the reproductive traits of flowering plants and their impact on interactions with pollinators, revealing the major correlations and emphasizing the importance of considering reproductive traits in understanding plant- pollinator interactions.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Manu E. E. Saunders, Liam K. K. Kendall, Jose B. B. Lanuza, Mark A. A. Hall, Romina Rader, Jamie R. R. Stavert
Summary: Understanding how climate influences plant-pollinator interactions is crucial. This study found that climate strongly affects the roles of different pollinator taxa within networks, with non-bee taxa playing central roles across most climate zones.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biodiversity Conservation
Rafael D. Zenni, Jos Barlow, Nathalie Pettorelli, Phil Stephens, Romina Rader, Tadeu Siqueira, Rowena Gordon, Thomas Pinfield, Martin A. Nunez
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Karen C. B. S. Santos, Abby E. Davis, Maurizio Rocchetti, Brad Hocking, Bar Shermeister, Romina Rader
Summary: We observed the brown honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta, feeding on both nectar and insects in blueberry and raspberry crops in eastern Australia. They appeared to act as biological control agents by consuming leaf-roller caterpillars in blueberry orchards and brown blowflies in raspberry orchards. Further research on these tritrophic interactions is needed to understand the impact of different farm management practices on alternative pollinators.
Article
Plant Sciences
Charlie P. P. Bailey, Carolyn A. A. Sonter, Jeremy L. L. Jones, Sabu Pandey, Simon Haberle, Karen C. B. S. Santos, Maria L. L. Absy, Romina Rader
Summary: This study aimed to develop a new, low-cost protocol to sort pollen pellets by color using high-energy violet light and visible light to determine if there is an association between pollen pellet color and variations in plant species identity. The results showed that similarly colored pollen pellets contained pollen from multiple plant families, and using high-energy violet light helped in distinguishing pellet composition.
APPLICATIONS IN PLANT SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Karen C. B. S. Santos, Abby E. Davis, Maurizio Rocchetti, Brad Hocking, Bar Schermeister, Romina Rader
Summary: This study found that the brown honeyeater is an effective pollinator for native plants in Australia and can also transfer pollen to blueberry flowers in commercial orchards.
ECOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS AND EVIDENCE
(2023)