last news from step-project.net http://www.step-project.net Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:26:19 +0200 WebDesign LTD. FeedCreator http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=573 18 April 2016

Butterfly monitoring schemes are at the heart of citizen science, with the general public and researchers collaborating to discover how butterfly populations change over time. To develop the concept further, a new paper in the journal Nature Conservation shows how systematically placed, grid-based transects can help schemes by reducing habitat bias. Rapidly increasing in number and popularity, Butterfly Monitoring Schemes have proved to be a method generating important, high-resolution data. Reliant on enthusiastic volunteers, who record butterflies along freely chosen transects, the collected observations are then used to explore and understand trends in butterfly numbers and distributions. However, there is a risk associated with free site selection: some habitats can become underrepresented and monitoring results therefore less general than intended. Butterfly hot-spots, such as semi-natural grasslands, tend to be favoured over less well-known environments. This means that butterflies living in other 'less popular' habitats, such as forests and wetlands, are covered less thoroughly and population declines of these species risk going undetected. A team of Swedish researchers have now investigated the potential of a new, complimentary grid-based design, where butterfly recorders are to walk systematically placed transects across the country. The results of testing the new method showed that butterflies were abundant in traditionally overlooked habitats such as coniferous forests, b...]]> Mon, 18 Apr 2016 10:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=572 14 August 2015

The University of Leeds is seeking a dynamic and influential lecturer, with proven abilities to carry out teaching and research in the area of Conservation Biology and related topics, to contribute to our Biology and associated undergraduate degree programmes and to our Biodiversity and Conservation masters degree programmes, in the School of Biology. You will have previous teaching and research experience in the general area of Conservation Biology, with more extensive expertise in a specific aspect of Conservation Biology. Along with a PhD in Biological Sciences and postgraduate experience in Conservation Biology, you will ideally have a successful record of obtaining external research funding. The primary criterion for appointment will be academic excellence. For more information about the position and to apply, please visit: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/ALT075/lecturer-in-conservation-biology/]]> Fri, 14 Aug 2015 10:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=571 06 August 2015

STEP supported research has found its place in a policy brief featured in the latest Science for Enviroment Policy issue. The study looks into declining number of bee and wasp species in England and links the tendency to historic changes in land-use. Researchers say that policies which promote diverse landscapes offer more opportunities for bees and wasps to nest and forage and are best for conserving these insect pollinators. Find the full brief here: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/integration/research/newsalert/pdf/increasing_home_energy_efficiency_may_boost_life_expectancy_and_health_424na1_en.pdf]]> Thu, 06 Aug 2015 10:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=570 25 June 2015

A new STEP paper paper looks into the effects of wildflower strips on ‪‎bees‬ in four ‪‎EU‬ countries. The study was recently published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. Summary: 1.Growing evidence for declines in wild bees calls for the development and implementation of effective mitigation measures. Enhancing floral resources is a widely accepted measure for promoting bees in agricultural landscapes, but effectiveness varies considerably between landscapes and regions. We hypothesize that this variation is mainly driven by a combination of the direct effects of measures on local floral resources and the availability of floral resources in the surrounding landscape. 2.To test this, we established wildflower strips in four European countries, using the same seed mixture of forage plants specifically targeted at bees. We used a Before-After Control-Impact (BACI) approach to analyse impacts of wildflower strips on bumblebees, solitary bees and Red List species, and examined to what extent effects were affected by local and landscape-wide floral resource availability, land-use intensity and landscape complexity. 3.Wildflower strips generally enhanced local bee abundance and richness, including Red Listed species. Effectiveness of the wildflower strips increased with the local contrast in flower richness created by the strips, and furthermore depended on the availability of floral resources in the surrounding landscape, with different patterns for solitary bees a...]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2015 10:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=569 17 June 2015

The Pollinator Partnership announces its signature initiative, Pollinator Week (http://bit.ly/1JTgD9e), which has reached significant new milestones in 2015. Established in 2007, Pollinator Week has grown exponentially in scope each year with this year U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, proclaiming June 15-23 as Pollinator Week. In an unprecedented act of vision and solidarity, ALL 50 state governors have proclaimed Pollinator Week in their states as a time to celebrate and protect the nation’s pollinating animals. Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, birds and other animals bring us one in every three bites of food, protect our environment. They form the underpinnings of a healthy and sustainable future. From Boulder, CO, where four masters of the classical Japanese bamboo flute "tweeted" the premier of original honey-bee themed music to the Honolulu Zoo’s Pollinator Party to tours of underground geothermally protected honey bee hives in Maine – Americans have put their ingenuity, creativity and drive into supporting pollinator health, an issue that they are doing something about! Efforts during Pollinator Week, and indeed year-round, are working to reverse and prevent pollinator declines caused by loss of habitat, disease, pesticides, parasites and other interconnected assaults on pollinator populations. Laurie Davies Adams, Executive Director of the Pollinator Partnership, said, "It’s appropriate to see the highest lev...]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2015 10:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=568 11 May 2015

The Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences offers a new position for Postdoctoral researcher in ecology: Spatial population dynamics at a species’ northern range margin at the Department of Ecology. The department conducts empirical and theoretical research for sustainable forest and agricultural production and efficient biological conservation. Research on populations, communities, and ecosystems forms the foundation for studying the influence of land use and climate on animals, plants, soils nutrient status, and greenhouse gas balances. Solutions are sought that will mitigate climate change, preserve threatened species, benefit biological diversity and ecosystem services, and control pests in forest and agricultural landscapes as well as in urban areas. Duties: The postdoc researcher will study spatial population dynamics in an insect at the northern margin of its global distribution, by taking advantage of a data from a long-term study of the butterfly Pyrgus armoricanus. The main purpose of the project is to understand how climate, habitat fragmentation and habitat quality influence the regional distribution and population dynamics of this butterfly, and to use this knowledge to predict population persistence and distribution in an altered climate and after changed land use. The successful candidate wull also analyze time-series data on population dynamics in relation to weather and habitat quality. There will also be opportunities to model future regional distributi...]]> Mon, 11 May 2015 10:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=566 26 March 2015

A position as a senior lecturer in apiculture is available within the Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences at the Department of Ecology, SLU, placed in Uppsala. The Department is situated in the attractive Ecology centre where we perform internationally acclaimed research, environmental monitoring and assessment and education for a sustainable use of natural resources based on an ecological understanding. The knowledge produced at the Ecology centre is used in agriculture, forestry and conservation management. Changes in climate and land use increase our need for ecological knowledge. At the Department of Ecology we have the ambition to be in the forefront of research within applied ecology. This requires also basic ecological research. Subject area: The area includes honey bees and their interactions with other organisms. Of special interest is how infectious diseases, parasites and symbiotic bacteria affect bee health and how knowledge about this can be transferred in to practical bee keeping. Qualifications: Qualifications for the post of senior lecturer with extension duties - PhD or equivalent scientific expertise, or possession of other professional skills of relevance to the subject content of the post and the duties this post entails - University teaching qualification or equivalent skills acquired in some other way - Demonstrated pedagogical skills - Demonstrated extension skills - Demonstrated high level of ability in written and oral communication in...]]> Thu, 26 Mar 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=567 26 March 2015

The pollination services provided by insects, such as bees and flower-visiting wasps, are fundamental to maintaining both biodiversity and agricultural productivity. However, despite their importance, human activities are causing the number and diversity of these species to decline. Many studies have focused on understanding how habitat destruction, loss of the flowers these species rely on for survival and increased use of pesticides have contributed to the decline in these species. However, much of this research has been relatively limited in terms of the time periods and geographical ranges considered. In this research, almost 500 000 records of sightings held by the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society (BWARS) were used to assess the extinction of bee and flower-visiting wasp species throughout Britain from the mid-19th century to the modern day. The researchers examined the rate of extinctions and how it varied over time, looking for patterns to help explain changes. Species were considered as extinct in the UK if there had been no record of them for 20 or more years. Many of the species examined still exist in continental Europe; as such, these are species which have only become locally extinct in Britain. A total of 23 species were identified as extinct. The years that these species were last observed ranged from as long ago as 1853, to as recently as 1990. The rate of extinctions varied over time, with four periods of extinction rate change identified. These were from 1874 to ...]]> Thu, 26 Mar 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=565 19 March 2015

The first-ever assessment of all European wild bee species shows that 9.2% are threatened with extinction, while 5.2% are considered likely to be threatened in the near future. A total of 56.7% of the species are classified as Data Deficient, as lack of experts, data and funding has made it impossible to evaluate their extinction risk. The assessment was published today as part of The IUCN European Red List of Bees and the Status and Trends of European Pollinators (STEP) project, both funded by the European Commission. It provides – for the first time information on all 1,965 wild bee species in Europe, including their status, distribution, population trends and threats. The report shows that 7.7% of the species have declining populations, 12.6% are stable and 0.7% are increasing. Population trends for the remaining 79% of bee species are unknown. Changing agricultural practices and increased farming intensification have lead to large-scale losses and degradation of bee habitats – one of the main threats to their survival. Climate change is another important driver of extinction risk for most species of bees, and particularly bumblebees. Heavy rainfalls, droughts, heat waves and increased temperatures can alter the habitats that individual species are adapted to and are expected to dramatically reduce the area of its habitat, leading to population decline. Urban development and the increased frequency of fires also threaten the survival of wild bee species in Europe, according ...]]> Thu, 19 Mar 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=564 20 February 2015

Pollination is crucial to providing food security with 84% of European crops benefitting, at least in part, from insect pollination and 78% of temperate wildflowers needing biotic pollination. An estimated ~10% of the total economic value of European agricultural output for human food amounted to ˆ22 billion in 2005 (ˆ14.2 for the EU) was dependent upon insect pollination. However, due to a cocktail of environmental stressors some pollinator species are declining and and the pollination services they provide may be under threat What can we do to mitigate pollinators decline and ensure sustainable future? At the end of the project's 5 year research programme STEP is publishing the "Climatic Risk and Distribution Atlas of European Bumblebees". The atlas, published as a special issue of the open access journal BioRisk, breaks new ground in assessing the risks of climate change for European bumblebees. Climate change has been identified as one of the main threats to this group and the atlas provides the most comprehensive evaluation of the likely consequences this will have. The authors gathered over one million bumblebee records from all over Europe. Based on these data, they modelled the current climatic niche for almost all European species (56 species) and projected future climatically suitable conditions using three climate change scenarios for the years 2050 and 2100. While under a moderate change scenario only two species are projected to be at the verge of extinction by 2100, 14 s...]]> Fri, 20 Feb 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=562 28 January 2015

The University of Guelph is currently hiring two Research Associates to join a team working on a review of the “Current Status of Honeybee and Wild Pollinator Health in Ontario”. These positions offer the rare opportunity to work on a comprehensive review ofthe scientific evidence base relating to the status, trends and impacts of pollinator health in Ontario. The review willinform the current government’s near-­‐term policy and program options. Theteam, lead by Professors Raine and Guzman at the University of Guelph, will consist of a postdoctoral researcher and two researchassociates. The successful candidates will join the research team and work closely with the postdoctoral researcher on a day-to-day basis. Both positions run from February-­‐July 2015 (6 months) based in Guelph, Ontario. The positions are full time for the duration of the contract with a competitive salary(plus benefits). Some opportunities for contract extension may be available. More information is avalable in the attached job offer.]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=563 28 January 2015

Pollinators like bumblebees are declining in Europe. What are the causes, the consequences and the possible solutions? Researchers know that the causes are multiple: a combination of habitat loss, pathogens, alien species, agrichemical pollution and even climate change. And the consequences are dramatic. Bees and other pollinators are sentinels of whole ecosystems, which depend on them to thrive. Declining pollinators have negative effects in wild plant populations, crop production and, eventually, human nutrition. Simon Potts who is a pollination biologist at Reading University explained the effect with the help of two strawberries: “Take a strawberry that is a good colour, good size, and is symmetrical. That is a strawberry that’s been very well pollinated. A poorly pollinated strawberry is a bit smaller, it is misshapen, it is not very attractive; it probably has less sugar in it. ‘So pollinators play a really important part in agriculture, and if we have fewer of them in Europe, we are going to have problems with growing good quality food.” Researchers at te European research project STEP are working to assess the problem and find solutions. Read the full story at: http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=sf-20150115-pollinators&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=33739 ]]> Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=560 26 January 2015

The Canadian Pollination Initiative (NSERC-CANPOLIN), announces "Pollination Nation: A Summary of Research Findings from the Canadian Pollination Initiative". This plain language research "digest" highlights over 30 of the Network's research projects from a range of different working groups. NSERC-CANPOLIN (http://www.uoguelph.ca/canpolin/index.html) is a five-year NSERC Strategic Network that aimed to address the growing problem of pollinator decline in agricultural and natural ecosystems in Canada. NSERC-CANPOLIN officially ended on September 1, 2014 with the currently published "digest" summarizing main project results. NSERC-CANPOLIN offers an exciting and unique approach to pollination research. For the first time, leading experts in entomology, ecology, plant reproductive biology, genomics, prediction and economics have joined forces to explore the full scope of the pollination problem – from pollinator health and conservation to gene flow in plants, the impact of climate change and the economics of pollination. The digest is available to view online here: http://www.uoguelph.ca/canpolin/New/NSERC-CANPOLIN%20Pollination%20Nation.pdf A high resolution version for printing is also available: http://www.uoguelph.ca/canpolin/New/NSERC-CANPOLIN%20Pollination%20Nation_print%20version.pdf ]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=561 26 January 2015

Super-B project is organising a Training School 'Methods for Pathogen Detection in non-Apis pollinators’, which will take place from March 2 to March 6 in Halle, Germany. Only 20 people can participate and wil receive reimbursement. If more than 20 people are interested in participating, the training school organisers will make a selection based on gender, country, early state researcher and diversity in general. The deadline for registration is February 2. If you want to participate in this training school, please contact Super-B at super-b@naturalis.nl. More information is available on the Super-B official website: http://superb-project.eu/news/]]> Mon, 26 Jan 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=559 15 January 2015

Wildlife Preservation Canada is now hiring a Pollinator Field Assistant to assist with at-risk pollinator surveys across southern-Ontario. This person will be responsible for field work and data collection, as well as assisting with literature reviews and other tasks. This position offers a unique opportunity to work with at-risk and declining pollinator species and directly contribute to recovery efforts. For more information visit: http://wildlifepreservation.ca/pollinator-field-assistant-2015-at-risk-pollinator-surveys/]]> Thu, 15 Jan 2015 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=558 10 December 2014

Background The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) is seeking proposals for research related to improving the health of honey bees. Proposals should focus on research to manage, suppress, and eradicate Varroa mites, small hive beetles, and other pests, pathogens, and diseases contributing to colony losses. Summaries of previously funded projects can be found at http://pollinator.org/honeybee_health.htm. Review and selection of proposals will be conducted by members of the Honey Bee Health Task Force. Research Needs We anticipate supporting several proposals, for a maximum of $10,000 for each individual proposal. Students and post-doctoral research fellows are encouraged to apply. Funds must be used within a one-year period. Focused, targeted projects with a high likelihood of providing tangible results that can be applied to improving bee health are preferred. Proposals providing valuable extensions of previously funded projects will be considered. Principal investigators of funded projects will be expected to present the results at the 2015 NAPPC meeting. Conference travel and registration costs may be taken from the grant award. Priority Areas The Honey Bee Health Task Force has identified seven priority areas for funding, though other areas will be considered as well. 1.Effects of pathogens and pests on honey bee behavior, physiology and/or colony health; including the development of novel methods to mitigate these effects, such as...]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2014 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=557 03 December 2014

A new STEP acknowledged article assesses the relative importance of a range of proposed factors responsible for wild bee decline and shows that loss of preferred host plant species is one of the main factors associated with the decline of bee populations in The Netherlands. Abstract: Evidence for declining populations of both wild and managed bees has raised concern about a potential global pollination crisis. Strategies to mitigate bee loss generally aim to enhance floral resources. However, we do not really know whether loss of preferred floral resources is the key driver of bee decline because accurate assessment of host plant preferences is difficult, particularly for species that have become rare. Here we examine whether population trends of wild bees in The Netherlands can be explained by trends in host plants, and how this relates to other factors such as climate change. We determined host plant preference of bee species using pollen loads on specimens in entomological collections that were collected before the onset of their decline, and used atlas data to quantify population trends of bee species and their host plants. We show that decline of preferred host plant species was one of two main factors associated with bee decline. Bee body size, the other main factor, was negatively related to population trend, which, because larger bee species have larger pollen requirements than smaller species, may also point toward food limitation as a key factor driving wild bee loss. Diet ...]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=556 27 November 2014

The latest issue of Science for Environment Policy features a new study on the effect of pollinators decline on human health: "Global malnutrition overlaps with pollinator-dependent micronutrient production". The worldwide decline of pollinators could increase cases of vitamin and micronutrient deficiencies in humans, new research suggests. For instance, pollination is needed for the crops that produce half of all plant-derived vitamin A across much of south-east Asia. Furthermore, areas which depend most on pollination for micronutrient supply tend to be poorer and already at higher risk of deficiencies. It is now well established that pollinators provide a vital ecosystem service. Seventy-five per cent of the 115 species that make up the world’s major crops depend on, or benefit from, animal pollination. With wild and honeybees in global decline, it is clear that food security is at risk. The problem may be greater than a simple reduction in calories: many crops that depend on pollination also provide important vitamins and other micronutrients. Lower yields of such crops could therefore have serious health implications. In this study, researchers used a global map of the 115 major food crops, which showed how dependent each crop was on pollinators for micronutrients. To show the pollinator dependency, they multiplied crop production by 0.95 if previous research had shown that animal pollination was ‘essential’, by 0.65 if dependence was ‘great’, by 0.25 for ‘modest’ and by 0.05 for ‘li...]]> Thu, 27 Nov 2014 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=554 07 November 2014

Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory (HBREL),University of Florida seeks to appoint a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher to coordinate the HBREL’s research in the area of honey bee ecology and conservation. Additionally, the successful candidate will lead a research program tasked with the following objectives: 1)Create and catalog a reference collection of Cape (Apis mellifera capensis), African (A.m. scutellata), and Asian (A. cerana) honey bees. 2)Generate a molecular identification technique than can be used to identify the ancestry of unknown subspecies of honey bees rapidly, especially Cape and African honey bees, but also Asian honey bees. 3)Assist in the development of a wing geometry-based identification system for various races and species of honey bees. 4)Employ the latest molecular and morphometric phylogenetic techniques to address honey bee population dynamics, with a focus in South Africa and Florida. The candidate must be able to integrate successfully into a laboratory employing students, technicians, and post docs with varied interests. Furthermore, the candidate must be able to work with bees (therefore, cannot be allergic to bee stings) and under inclement conditions (such as hot, humid, rainy, or cold weather). Thorough quarterly and yearly project reports must be generated by the successful applicant to fulfill the duties associated with grant and sponsored program requirements. The candidate is expected to participate in knowledge transfer (extension) t...]]> Fri, 07 Nov 2014 11:00:00 +0200 http://www.step-project.net/news.php?n=555 07 November 2014

The GCA Board of Associates Centennial Pollinator Fellowship annually funds one or more graduate students enrolled in U.S. institutions. Funding may vary in amount, but normally will be in the range of $4,000 for study and research that will advance the knowledge of pollinator science and increase the number of scientists in the field. A recipient may reapply for an additional year of funding. The Garden Club of America (GCA) Board of Associates Centennial Pollinator Fellowship provides funding to a current graduate student to study the causes of pollinator decline, in particular bees, bats, butterflies and moths, which could lead to potential solutions for their conservation and sustainability. The selection criteria are based on the technical merit of the proposed work and the degree to which the work is relevant to this objective. Pollinators—bees, bats, butterflies and moths—help our prairies, gardens, orchards, blueberry barrens, farmers’ fields and desert cacti reproduce and maintain genetic diversity. One-third of the food we eat has been fertilized by pollinators. An alarming decline in the number of pollinators in recent decades—through chemicals, diseases, mites, loss of habitat, and global climate change— has international repercussions. The GCA Board of Associates Centennial Pollinator Fellowship was established in spring 2013 to facilitate independent research in this field. This fellowship was made possible by generous gifts given in honor of the GCA Centennial by members of...]]> Fri, 07 Nov 2014 11:00:00 +0200