| title: | Foraging behaviour of pollinators in farmland: use of bumble bee colonies for increasing the seed yield of entomophilous crops |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF5737 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
4.2. Crop Sciences (inc. Horticulture) |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | EAU Faculty of Agronomy |
| head of project: | Marika Mänd |
| duration: | 01.01.2004 - 31.12.2007 |
| description: | The project aims, through a novel experimental design, to investigate the large-scale spatial bee-plant interactions within fragmented farmland. To study the effect of the exact location of the bumble bee colony on its potential as a pollinator of legume crops in a fragmented arable landscape. To ascertain the effect of different structural elements of an agricultural landscape on the bumble bee flight behaviour. To study the basis of bumble bee food preferences. For this purpose, the nutritional value of various plants (crops) for bumble bees and their agronomic requirements will be investigated. The information from this study will help formulate effective management strategy for commercially reared bumble bee colonies for raising legume seed yield. The results of the investigation can be used to elaborate a more effective strategy of land management favourable to bees, and essential for insect-pollinated crops, the native flora and the wildlife dependent on them. This would provide more reliable harvests and could serve as a prerequisite for the management of sustainable agricultural. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Ants Bender | Jõgeva SAI | juhataja | |
| 2. | Volli Geherman | EPMÜ | teadur | |
| 3. | Ants-Johannes Martin | EPMÜ | laborijuhataja | |
| 4. | Marika Mänd | EAU Faculty of Agronomy | seniour researcher | |
| 5. | Rein Viiralt | EPMÜ | professor, juhataja | |