~ ~ ~-~ NSERC - CANPOLIN NSERG.CANPOLIN CANADIAN POLLINATION. Peter G. Kevan, FRSC Scientific Director CANPOLIN University of Guelph, ON N1G 2W1

Transcription

1 ~ ~ ~-~ NSERG.CANPOLIN CANADIAN POLLINATION --I TIATI E'-- Peter G. Kevan, FRSC Scientific Director CANPOLIN University of Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 Maritime Action Forum on Pollination Research, 19 March, 2010

2 What is Pollination? Transfer of pollen 1. Self-pollination (autogamy) 2. Self-pollination (geitonogamy) 3. Cross-pollination (xenogamy) Prelude to fertilization seeds & fruits

3 What is Pollination? Plant Re~mijUCl'W~jjlirs:olitJ'i'ialile::fr,o ---,CalloonS!odI.com

4 Role & Importance of Pollination in Food Security & Ecosystem Sustainability Pollination: an Essential Natural Service Insect pollination has an estimated worth for food and fibre production of $217 Billion/year globally! 1 in 3 bites of food: Thank a pollinator!

5 Pollination & Pollinator Shortages Since the dawn of agriculture Figs Dates Amos of the Old Testament was a figpiercer (2800 BP) Babylonian date pollination by hand 3700 BP Herodotus 2500 BP

6 Pollination & Pollinator Shortages Recent examples Red clover in New Zealand (19 th C) Need for seed for pasture, but No bumblebees naturally in NZ Alfalfa in western Canada (20 th C) Agricultural intensification Oil palm in Malaysia (20 th C) Hand pollination costly Lowbush Blueberries in New Brunswick (1970s) Insecticide use in forest management Almond pollination in California (2010) Where did the honeybees go?

7 Pollination & Pollinator Shortages: the Causes Agriculture: Practices & Intensification Pesticides Habitat Destruction Habitat Loss Habitat Fragmentation Diseases & Parasites Economics of beekeeping

8 Managed Pollinators Honey bees (Apis spp.; A. mellifera) Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees (Megachile rotundata) Alkali Bees (Nomia melanderi) Bumble Bees (Bombus spp.; B. impatiens) Orchard Bees (Osmia spp.; O. lignaria) Flies for vegetable seed production

9 Pollinator Diversity: Wild Pollinators Huge Diversity! > 1000 Canadian species of bees

10 Managing Pollination Canola: Wild bees from uncultivated land (pastures, hedgerows) or in organic agriculture Less cultivated area but greater yields and profitability Squash & Pumpkin: Hoary squash bee = native pollinator (efficient, works from dawn to mid-day) Nests underground in and around fields Deep tillage destroys nests Lowbush Blueberries: 70+ species naturally associated with flowers Nesting in the fields and adjacent forests Herbicides, weed-free fields no forage before or after crop bloom reduced nesting success populations decline Solutions: Managed pollinators or Manage Land Use for Pollinators

11 Honey Bees & Beekeeping Problems Pesticides Diseases Parasites Chalk brood (fungus) Trachael mite Varroa mite Nosema apis & N. ceranae (protozoa)

12 Honey Bees & Beekeeping: Trends fb' c: ~ 0.6 'E c: 0.5 l.:. ~ 'c 0.4 o c:.~ "g 0.2 c: nl <.> 0.1 Canada o-1---, ,..--,.--,.--, , ,.---, Year 7.0 -r--=======================================::::-l 6.0 u; c ~ 5.0 'E ; rn cv ' uj 2.0 ::) 1.0 U.S.A t--.,.---r--..,.----,--r--~-.,.--..,...-..,.----,~-r- t Year

13 Honeybee Problems Colony losses in most of Canada Overwintering losses: up to & over 30% of colonies/year Cost = $5+Million/year to the industry Costs of Pest, Parasite & Disease management rising Low Honey Prices (< $1.80/lb wholesale) Pollination demands rising Crying need for R & D!

14 Value of Honeybees for Crop Pollination Est. value = $1.3 to $1.7 Billion annually in Canada 300,000 colonies for hybrid canola seed 35,000 colonies for blueberries 15,000 colonies for fruit average $120/ colony = $42 Million in hive rentals/year Honey = $110 Million/year (28 Million kg)

15 Leafcutting Bees: Problems & Potential Alfalfa in the Canadian West F.W.L. Sladen (1918) advocated Megachile spp. for pollination To the 1940s, system seemed effective (Salt 1940) High productivity of alfalfa seed leads to expansion of fields By 1950s, problems!

16 Pollination & Pollinator Shortages: Canadian Stories - Alfalfa Huge alfalfa fields, no Megachile nesting habitat, except around edges Seed Yields drop: 1000 to 15 kg/ha (Stephen 1955) Solution

17 Pollination & Pollinator Shortages Alfalfa leafcutting bee husbandry G. Hobbs, Lethbridge, AB (operational by mid 1960s) Domicile for Bees Gordon Hobbs

18 Value of Leafcutter Bee Industry in Canada 50,000 bees per ha = over 2.0 Billion bee population in SK alone (75% of Canada s alfalfa seed production) 13.5 Million kg seed/yr = $40 Million $25 Million/yr in exports Bees = 30+% of seed value = $15-20 Million New & other crops: Canola, Blueberries

19 Bumble Bees: Value, Problems & Potential Still air in green houses Pollination of wind-shaken tomato flowers impossible Hand pollination Labour costs $$$ Reliability Timing Solution

20 Pollination & Pollinator Shortages: Greenhouse Tomatoes Bumblebee culture MB Plowright & Jay 1966 ON Kevan et al BC Dogterom 1998 ON Morandin et al BC Winston team

21 Value of Greenhouse Tomato Production 736 Acres in Ontario (75% of Canadian production) $290 Million/year 2 colonies/acre/month for 10 months 20 $200 each/acre/year $3.7 Million/year in Canada

22 Orchard Bees: Potential Efficient Cold tolerant No stings Easy management

23 Pollinator Declines: the Consequences for Crops Fisure3. Proper polli...lton ila_rea lhe be._ ilad biggetll cropa.

24 Pollinator Declines: the Economic Consequences Insect pollination has an estimated worth for food and fibre production of $217 Billion/year globally Value of beekeeping in Canada: Pollinator shortage = crop reductions = higher price of production = consumer pays but if prices set internationally, Canadian farmer pays

25 Pollinator Declines: Ecological Consequences Reproduction It ve~ables--- Biocontrol agents t Reproduction It --- Oil Seeds k ~ /--"'" ~...~ ~ Trees Shrubs ~ (,.,. r \ Forage (~ ~\ Reproduction Products (~~\ Reproduction k Products V R'P""'"~"ct, ~ Migratory & Winter- Resident Birds Forest seeds & fruits for energy stores Black bears and forest berries Sows feed on berries gain fat (2kg/day) for hibernation milk for cubs strong & healthy in spring: Too few berries!

26 Is there a shortage of pollinators? Yes! Lots of examples, even from Canada! Most examples are local or regional for both human food production and ecosystem sustainability. Are shortages large enough to affect human food security or broad-scale ecosystem function? Global statistical analyses suggest not. At least not yet! Modern global food production statistics are more complete. Pollination technologies have adapted to production needs. Local/Regional problems are not large enough to register globally. Ecosystem function, integrity, and sustainability inadequately monitored

27 What needs to be done R & D for Managed Pollinators Diversification of Managed Pollinators Land management changes for pollinators & pollination Monitoring Managed and Wild Pollinators Understanding crop pollination systems Understanding centrality of pollination in managed and wild ecosystem integrity

28 Initiatives on Pollination & Pollinator Shortages: Canada at the Forefront NRCanada (1981) Pesticide Pollinator Interactions AgCanada (1989) National Workshop, Winnipeg ESC (1997) Pollinators & Mother Earth Canadian participation in International & US meetings (1992, , ) Review of Canadian Legislation US NRC (2007) Status of Pollinators in North America

29 Recent Canadian Initiatives CPPI January, 2007 in Ottawa CANPOLIN NSERC Strategic Network Proposal: submitted February 2008 ($5 million) cmpol~ CANADIAN POLLINATION --einitiati e-- Funded Oct. 2008! City of Guelph Pollination Park, 7 March 2008 CPPI Urban pollination, 8 March 2008 National Wildlife Week, 30 April 2008 Pollinator Conservation in Practice, 13 Nov Maritime Action Forum on Pollination Research

30 NSERC-CANPOLIN: Facets Wild pollinator diversity Managed pollinator health & sustainability Plant reproductive needs Insect pollination & wind pollination Ecosystem function, complexity & conservation Predictions Climate & land-use changes Economics & Policy issues

31 Assembling the CANPOLIN Players Laurence Packer & Peter Kevan hatch the idea Listing of Players Known colleagues Literature records to fill out the list Contacting the Players Inclusive policy of Invitation to join Very few opted out Active invitees became leaders No one was excluded A true Network not a hub, spokes and rim

32 Acting Locally & Thinking Globally: What can you do? Use your heightened awareness of pollination in Your Own Backyard Join the fray: Canadian Pollinator Protection Initiative Canadian Pollinator Gardeners North American Pollinator Protection Campaign Pollinator monitoring programs Information & Outreach Collaboration with other organizations

33 Thank you! I am most grateful to the Maritime Action Forum on Pollination Research for inviting me to this exciting event. I am sure that I speak for all members of NSERC-CANPOLIN, academic, government, industry, and NGOs across Canada in expressing our collective thanks as well. Please join us in support of our pollinators and the plants they pollinate: