INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC DRIVERS OF THERMAL TOLERANCE AND THEIR IMPACT ON ESSENTIAL CROP POLLINATOR HEALTH

Project: Research project

Project Details

Description

Global warming is impacting biological processes at both organismal and population levels, with profound effects on species interactions and ecological function. Bees play a critical role as ecosystem service providers, facilitating the reproduction of wild plants and crops, but their populations are in decline. Multiple interacting biotic and abiotic stressors, such as pathogens and pesticides, have been linked to bee declines but it remains unknown how global warming modulates effects of these stressors to impact wild and managed pollinator health. Here, we propose a novel and integrative approach that includes rigorous laboratory and field experiments in physiology, toxicology, and disease ecology, to achieve a mechanistic understanding of how temperature variation, pesticides, and pathogens interact to mediate fitness and survival in crop pollinators at individual and population levels. We will use a comparative approach that includes three critical and representative bee pollinators of agroecosystems in North America: squash bees (wild solitary), bumble bees (wild social), and honey bees (managed social). Empirical data will be used to build mechanistic species distribution models that incorporate data on pesticide exposure, disease pressure, and microclimatic conditions. Our results will address the current gap of knowledge about how multiple stressors impact pollinator health in agroecosystems that are critical to our food supply. Our combined lab, field, and modeling approach will facilitate the identification of key stressors in different habitats to facilitate recommendations for mitigation measures to enhance pollinator health. The research component of this project addresses the AFRI Priority Area of (i) Food safety, nutrition, and health, and the Program Area Priority of (ii) Investigating factors that influence the abundance, diversity, and health of pollinators.
StatusActive
Effective start/end date1/1/2212/31/25

Funding

  • National Institute of Food and Agriculture: $682,290.00

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