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Promoting Wild Bees and Honey Bees to Ensure Pollination

18-16-19-06-05

The yields and quality of many arable, vegetable and fruit crops depend inter alia on adequate pollination by insects, namely by honey bees and wild bees. This project aims to develop the necessary knowledge and practical expertise to determine

  • the potential of molecular methods for recording wild bees and their diversity; 
  • how various threats affect pollinators in agroecosystems;
  • how wild bees, honey bees and pollination services can be promoted effectively and efficiently, e.g. by means of flowering strips; and lastly,
  • where, based on the supply of and demand for pollination services,  a pollination deficit in important insect-pollinated crops in Switzerland might possibly occur.

Project Information

Project Number:
18.16.19.06.05

Project Title: 
Ensuring Pollination Services via the Targeted Promotion of Wild Bees and Honey Bees

Strategic Research Field:
Biodiversity

Previous Projects

Functional Ecological Compensation

URL for direct access

agroscope.ch/18-16-19-06-05/?lang=en

Further Information

Bild_1_Wildbiene fliegt Kirschblüte an

Wild Bees and Pollination

Honey bees, wild bees and other insect pollinators play a crucial role in agricultural ecosystems. Pollinators help to improve the yields of around 75% of the world’s most important agricultural crops.

Modul_0_Intro

Research Platform « Flowering Habitats »

Agriculture faces many challenges. In order to be sustainable, it must produce as efficiently as possible and, at the same time, preserve the natural resources and allow farmers to make a reasonable income. One of the many challenges is to use tailored flowering elements on the farm, which promote ecosystem services (pollination, pest control, etc.) in order to enable high-quality agricultural production and preserve biodiversity. The platform "Flowering Habitats" by Agroscope, FiBL, HAFL and SBV aims to help overcome this challenge.

www.poshbee.eu

Bees – honey bees, bumble bees, and solitary bees – pollinate crops and wildflowers and are essential for both human and planetary well-being. However, all around the globe, bees face many threats and are often in decline. While studies suggest that agrochemicals have a negative impact on bee health, their importance and relevance in the real world remains unclear. PoshBee aims to support healthy bee populations, sustainable beekeeping and pollination across Europe.

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