The need for weeds: Man-made, non-cropped habitats complement crops and natural habitats in providing honey bees and bumble bees with pollen resources

Jachuła, Jacek; Denisow, Bożena; Wrzesień, Małgorzata; Ziółkowska, Elżbieta

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156551

Cited by 16 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 118 publications

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“…"High-diversity landscape features" are a key component of the European Green deal and with the new CAP moving towards supporting biodiversity-friendly farming, opportunities have been created for biodiversity-promoting agricultural practices in Europe—called for by scientists 31 , 32 and authorities 33 . Measures to achieve areas of ‘high diversity’ include implementing pollinator-friendly actions, such as the promotion of wild and cultivated flowers on large amounts of arable land 34 , 35 and improving the quality of existing habitats to better meet the needs of managed bees and other pollinators 36 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan

Willcox,

Potts,

Brown

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Managed bee species provide essential pollination services that contribute to food security worldwide. However, managed bees face a diverse array of threats and anticipating these, and potential opportunities to reduce risks, is essential for the sustainable management of pollination services. We conducted a horizon scanning exercise with 20 experts from across Europe to identify emerging threats and opportunities for managed bees in European agricultural systems. An initial 63 issues were identified, and this was shortlisted to 21 issues through the horizon scanning process. These ranged from local landscape-level management to geopolitical issues on a continental and global scale across seven broad themes—Pesticides & pollutants, Technology, Management practices, Predators & parasites, Environmental stressors, Crop modification, and Political & trade influences. While we conducted this horizon scan within a European context, the opportunities and threats identified will likely be relevant to other regions. A renewed research and policy focus, especially on the highest-ranking issues, is required to maximise the value of these opportunities and mitigate threats to maintain sustainable and healthy managed bee pollinators within agricultural systems.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan

Willcox,

Potts,

Brown

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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“…Starvation is conditioned by either a complete lack of access to food or an unbalanced access to nutrients caused by a mono diet. The problem of the declining diversity of these fodder plants, including: monocrop plants [ 99 ], causes nutritional stress [ 100 ]. An important effect on pollinators is exerted by vegetation growing on field margins, fallow lands, roadsides and railway embankments [ 99 ].…”

Section: The Phenomenon Of Hunger and Low Protein Diversity In A Bee ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The problem of the declining diversity of these fodder plants, including: monocrop plants [ 99 ], causes nutritional stress [ 100 ]. An important effect on pollinators is exerted by vegetation growing on field margins, fallow lands, roadsides and railway embankments [ 99 ]. Such vegetation provides extended development and diversity, depending on the environment.…”

Section: The Phenomenon Of Hunger and Low Protein Diversity In A Bee ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Key Role of Amino Acids in Pollen Quality and Honey Bee Physiology—A Review

Bryś,

Strachecka

2024

Molecules

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When studying honey bee nutrition, it is important to pay attention not only to the quantity but also to the quality of pollen for floral visitors. The recommended way to determine the value of pollen is to determine both the protein concentration and the amino acid composition in the insect’s hemolymph. In addition, the composition of pollen also includes lipids, sterols and biogenic elements such as carbon, nitrogen, etc. Very high protein concentration is observed in aloe pollen, averaging 51%. Plants with a high protein content, at the level of 27% in Europe, are rapeseed and phacelia. In turn, a plant that is poor in protein (at the level of 11%) is buckwheat. The aforementioned plants are sown over very large areas. Vast acreages in Central and Eastern Europe are occupied by pollen- and nectar-providing invasive plants, such as goldenrod. Therefore, bees are forced to use one food source—a mono diet—which results in their malnutrition. In the absence of natural pollen, beekeepers use other foods for bees; including soy protein, powdered milk, egg yolks, fish meal, etc. However, the colony is the strongest when bees are fed with pollen, as opposed to artificial protein diets. More research is needed on the relationship between bee pollen composition and nutrition, as measured by protein concentration and amino acid composition in apian hemolymph, colony strength, honey yield and good overwintering.

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“…While there are a small number of studies on landscape‐level nectar supplies (e.g. Baude et al ., 2016; Hicks et al ., 2016; Timberlake et al ., 2019; Langlois et al ., 2020; Tew et al ., 2021; Barnsley et al ., 2022), equivalent studies on landscape‐level pollen supply are lacking (but see Jachuła et al ., 2022 for a landscape‐level pollen assessment in Poland). This is largely due to the fact that pollen is much harder to measure than nectar.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantifying the production of plant pollen at the farm scale

Wright,

Timberlake,

Baude

et al. 2024

New Phytologist

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Summary Plant pollen is rich in protein, sterols and lipids, providing crucial nutrition for many pollinators. However, we know very little about the quantity, quality and timing of pollen availability in real landscapes, limiting our ability to improve food supply for pollinators. We quantify the floral longevity and pollen production of a whole plant community for the first time, enabling us to calculate daily pollen availability. We combine these data with floral abundance and nectar measures from UK farmland to quantify pollen and nectar production at the landscape scale throughout the year. Pollen and nectar production were significantly correlated at the floral unit, and landscape level. The species providing the highest quantity of pollen on farmland were Salix spp. (38%), Filipendula ulmaria (14%), Rubus fruticosus (10%) and Taraxacum officinale (9%). Hedgerows were the most pollen‐rich habitats, but permanent pasture provided the majority of pollen at the landscape scale, because of its large area. Pollen and nectar were closely associated in their phenology, with both peaking in late April, before declining steeply in June and remaining low throughout the year. Our data provide a starting point for including pollen in floral resource assessments and ensuring the nutritional requirements of pollinators are met in farmland landscapes.

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The need for weeds: Man-made, non-cropped habitats complement crops and natural habitats in providing honey bees and bumble bees with pollen resources

Cited by 16 publications

References 118 publications

Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan

Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan

The Key Role of Amino Acids in Pollen Quality and Honey Bee Physiology—A Review

Quantifying the production of plant pollen at the farm scale

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