Health status of solitary wild bees in relation to landscape diversity, farming practices and pollen diet

• Applicants: Professorin Dr. Catrin Westphal; Professor Dr. Röbbe Wünschiers
• Subject Area: Ecology and Biodiversity of Animals and Ecosystems, Organismic Interactions
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 528348559

The health status of pollinators is influenced by various factors. Especially, agricultural intensification, including pesticide use and homogenization of landscapes, have negative impacts on the population development and health of pollinators. To date, the effects of agricultural intensification on the health of pollinators have mainly been studied for honey bees and bumble bees while the health of wild solitary bees has received little attention until now. Our proposed project aims to investigate the health status of Osmia spp. over three generations. For this purpose, we will place nesting aids into and around managed apple orchards in Saxony. We then analyse the DNA of the pollen storage as well as the microbiome found in the offspring of solitary bees. Therefore, we will classify the pollen origin and the bacterial composition. Based on the genetic information we want to show that the diversity of pollen nutrition consolidates the health status of the successor generation of Osmia species.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants