Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan

Willcox, B. K., Potts, S. G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2045-980X, Brown, M. J. F., Alix, A., Al Naggar, Y., Chauzat, M.-P., Costa, C., Gekière, A., Hartfield, C., Hatjina, F., Knapp, J. L., Martínez-López, V., Maus, C., Metodiev, T., Nazzi, F., Osterman, J., Raimets, R., Strobl, V., Van Oystaeyen, A., Wintermantel, D., Yovcheva, N. and Senapathi, D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8883-1583 (2023) Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan. Scientific Reports, 13. 18099. ISSN 2045-2322 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-45279-w

Abstract/Summary

Managed bee species provide essential pollination services that contribute to food security worldwide. However, managed bees face a diverse array of threats and anticipating these, and potential opportunities to reduce risks, is essential for the sustainable management of pollination services. We conducted a horizon scanning exercise with 20 experts from across Europe to identify emerging threats and opportunities for managed bees in European agricultural systems. An initial 63 issues were identified, and this was shortlisted to 21 issues through the Horizon Scanning process. These ranged from local landscape-level management to geopolitical issues on a continental and global scale across seven broad themes - Pesticides & pollutants, Technology, Management practices, Predators & parasites, Environmental stressors, Crop modification, and Political & trade influences. While we conducted this Horizon Scan within a European context, the opportunities and threats identified will likely be relevant to other regions. A renewed research and policy focus, especially on the highest-ranking issues, is required to maximise the value of these opportunities and mitigate threats to maintain sustainable and healthy managed bee pollinators within agricultural systems.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/113691
Identification Number/DOI	10.1038/s41598-023-45279-w
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER)
Publisher	Nature Publishing Group
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item