The conservation of bees: a global perspective

M.J.F. Brown, Robert Paxton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

424 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Bees are major pollinators of Angiosperms and therefore their apparent decline is of importance for humans and biodiversity. We synthesise results of 12 recent reviews to provide a global picture of the threats they face. Habitat loss is the major threat to bee diversity, whilst invasive species, emerging diseases, pesticide use, and climate change also have the potential to impact bee populations. We suggest that future conservation strategies need to prioritise (i) minimising habitat loss, (ii) making agricultural habitats bee-friendly, (iii) training scientists and the public in bee taxonomy and identification, (iv) basic autecological and population genetic studies to underpin conservation strategies, (v) assessing the value of DNA barcoding for bee conservation, (vi) determining the impact of invasive plants, animals, parasites and pathogens, and (vii) integrating this information to understand the potential impact of climate change on current bee diversity.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)410-416
Number of pages7
JournalAPIDOLOGIE
Volume40
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Insect Science

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