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Developing European conservation and mitigation tools for pollination services: approaches of the STEP (Status and Trends of European Pollinators) project

Potts, Simon G. ; Biesmeijer, Jacobus C. ; Bommarco, Riccardo ; Felicioli, Antonio ; Fischer, Markus ; Jokinen, Pekka ; Kleijn, David ; Klein, Alexandra-Maria ; Kunin, William E. and Neumann, Peter , et al. (2011) In Journal of Apicultural Research 50(2). p.152-164
Abstract
Pollinating insects form a key component of European biodiversity, and provide a vital ecosystem service to crops and wild plants. There is growing evidence of declines in both wild and domesticated pollinators, and parallel declines in plants relying upon them. The STEP project (Status and Trends of European Pollinators, 2010-2015, www.step-project.net) is documenting critical elements in the nature and extent of these declines, examining key functional traits associated with pollination deficits, and developing a Red List for some European pollinator groups. Together these activities are laying the groundwork for future pollinator monitoring programmes. STEP is also assessing the relative importance of potential drivers of pollinator... (More)
Pollinating insects form a key component of European biodiversity, and provide a vital ecosystem service to crops and wild plants. There is growing evidence of declines in both wild and domesticated pollinators, and parallel declines in plants relying upon them. The STEP project (Status and Trends of European Pollinators, 2010-2015, www.step-project.net) is documenting critical elements in the nature and extent of these declines, examining key functional traits associated with pollination deficits, and developing a Red List for some European pollinator groups. Together these activities are laying the groundwork for future pollinator monitoring programmes. STEP is also assessing the relative importance of potential drivers of pollinator declines, including climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, agrochemicals, pathogens, alien species, light pollution, and their interactions. We are measuring the ecological and economic impacts of declining pollinator services and floral resources, including effects on wild plant populations, crop production and human nutrition. STEP is reviewing existing and potential mitigation options, and providing novel tests of their effectiveness across Europe. Our work is building upon existing and newly developed datasets and models, complemented by spatially-replicated campaigns of field research to fill gaps in current knowledge. Findings are being integrated into a policy-relevant framework to create evidence-based decision support tools. STEP is establishing communication links to a wide range of stakeholders across Europe and beyond, including policy makers, beekeepers, farmers, academics and the general public. Taken together, the STEP research programme aims to improve our understanding of the nature, causes, consequences and potential mitigation of declines in pollination services at local, national, continental and global scales. (Less)
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bees, crops, environmental pressures, flowering plants, pollinators, pollination services
in
Journal of Apicultural Research
volume
50
issue
2
pages
152 - 164
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000289718700007
  • scopus:79956115579
ISSN
0021-8839
DOI
10.3896/IBRA.1.50.2.07
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f6cb9ccc-88d4-4fae-ae1a-9b9120557551 (old id 1964954)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:34:13
date last changed
2022-01-26 00:28:18
@article{f6cb9ccc-88d4-4fae-ae1a-9b9120557551,
  abstract     = {{Pollinating insects form a key component of European biodiversity, and provide a vital ecosystem service to crops and wild plants. There is growing evidence of declines in both wild and domesticated pollinators, and parallel declines in plants relying upon them. The STEP project (Status and Trends of European Pollinators, 2010-2015, www.step-project.net) is documenting critical elements in the nature and extent of these declines, examining key functional traits associated with pollination deficits, and developing a Red List for some European pollinator groups. Together these activities are laying the groundwork for future pollinator monitoring programmes. STEP is also assessing the relative importance of potential drivers of pollinator declines, including climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, agrochemicals, pathogens, alien species, light pollution, and their interactions. We are measuring the ecological and economic impacts of declining pollinator services and floral resources, including effects on wild plant populations, crop production and human nutrition. STEP is reviewing existing and potential mitigation options, and providing novel tests of their effectiveness across Europe. Our work is building upon existing and newly developed datasets and models, complemented by spatially-replicated campaigns of field research to fill gaps in current knowledge. Findings are being integrated into a policy-relevant framework to create evidence-based decision support tools. STEP is establishing communication links to a wide range of stakeholders across Europe and beyond, including policy makers, beekeepers, farmers, academics and the general public. Taken together, the STEP research programme aims to improve our understanding of the nature, causes, consequences and potential mitigation of declines in pollination services at local, national, continental and global scales.}},
  author       = {{Potts, Simon G. and Biesmeijer, Jacobus C. and Bommarco, Riccardo and Felicioli, Antonio and Fischer, Markus and Jokinen, Pekka and Kleijn, David and Klein, Alexandra-Maria and Kunin, William E. and Neumann, Peter and Penev, Lyubomir D. and Petanidou, Theodora and Rasmont, Pierre and Roberts, Stuart P. M. and Smith, Henrik and Sorensen, Peter B. and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Vaissiere, Bernard E. and Vila, Montserrat and Vujic, Ante and Woyciechowski, Michal and Zobel, Martin and Settele, Josef and Schweiger, Oliver}},
  issn         = {{0021-8839}},
  keywords     = {{bees; crops; environmental pressures; flowering plants; pollinators; pollination services}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{152--164}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Journal of Apicultural Research}},
  title        = {{Developing European conservation and mitigation tools for pollination services: approaches of the STEP (Status and Trends of European Pollinators) project}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3896/IBRA.1.50.2.07}},
  doi          = {{10.3896/IBRA.1.50.2.07}},
  volume       = {{50}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}