ALTERNATIVE CROP
POLLINATORS
Although the European honey bee is the most intensively managed crop pollinator across the globe, there are many other bee species that are more efficient, yield-boosting pollinators of seed, fruit, and forage crops. Among other factors, bee species vary in their pollination efficiencies due to differences of morphology, life cycles, and foraging behaviours. The overarching goal of our work in agriculture is improve the health and production of naturalized crop pollinator species, and to increase agricultural sustainability by enhancing wild pollinator populations in agroecosystems.
BIODIVERSITY & ECOSYSTEM SERVICES
It is estimated that there may be as many as 10 million insect species on plant earth. However, many of these species are in decline, partly due to the degradation of landscapes by human infrastructure. Research on the ecology, health, and management of biodiversity is essential to maintain ecosystem health and the services these systems provide to humans (i.e. ecosystem services). Our research also focuses on monitoring and improving biodiversity in human-modified landscapes, with a specific focus on plants and pollinators.
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