3. Nutrient contents – depends
on the plant and the
environment
Environmental
hazards
Plant biodiversity in
the region – enough for all?
Other: paleosciences,
forensics, medicine, …
http://www.foeeurope.org/sites/default/files/styles/node_header_800/public/goodcropbadcrop2.png?itok=MFZQsdXa
https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.gnPwz6bY23nQrHYwkKX7XQHaFj?pid=ImgDet&rs=1
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ea/9b/a6/ea9ba6060386ec9fda9c0911bab5ef6b.jpg
The role of pollen analyses
5. Pollen collected on a daily basis in Northern Sweden from one
beehive, by Jörgen Kragh, Umeå
Pooled pollen harvest from three behives close to each other in
mid Sweden, collected by Lars Kjellström, Gränna
Pollen harvest variations
6. https://alltombiodling.se/bivaxter/
Norwegian-Swedish:
101 plant species
Long list of plants,
but no info about
pollen
Pollennyckel
Sigtuna Honung
Limited possibilities to identify beepollen
8def21e59bf9f510f92e8f494f2172c8.png (575×604)(pinimg.com)
http://www.sheffieldbe
ekeepers.org.uk/tools/p
ollen-chart/
• New database: The flora of pollinating insects
• Pollen hunting/Pollenjakten
https://www.nrm.se/forskningochsamlingar/botanik/samlingar/palynologiskasamlingar.586.html
Academia, examples:
INTERREG: BIstånd till
nordiska bin – unik resurs
för framtidens ekosystem-
tjänster
+ much
more
Examples
in English:
Examples in
Swedish:
8. Honey bees:
459
New database: All plants for all pollinators in Sweden
Ca. 10.500 vascular plant species (97 % flowering plants, < 10 % are listed as specific plant
species versus specific insect species)
Amount of pollinating species in Sweden: ca. 1,500-2,000-> 3000 (out of ca. 36.000 insects)
Source: Unpublished database (summer 2021)
by Natuschka Lee, Philippe Simon et al.:
The flora of pollinating insects in Sweden
In Swedish: Pollinatörernas Flora
(based on SLU Artfakta, and other sources)
Other
hymenoptera:
64
Mosquitos:
5
Hoover flies:
351
Butterflies:
239
Solitary
Bees:
224
Bumble
bees:
137
Flies:
16
Wasps:
27
Moths:
142
Amount of plant
species with
documented flower
visits by different
pollinator groups:
Systematic
comparisons
Identification
of novel
research or
inventory
projects
9. Must most likeley be
expanded, e.g.
recent inventory 2021
discovered yet another
new candidate who
may pollinate
blueberry:
Sobersandbi
(Andrena cineraria)
(deposited to SLU
databases, by Johan
Ekblad, Umeå)
Blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus)
Example of plants and their specific pollinators
10. Plants for honeybees in Sweden
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) forage on ca. 459
plant species in Sweden, but:
• Pollen morphology known for ca. 100 plant
species
• Pollen colour known for ca. 110 plant species
Source: Unpublished database (summer 2021)by Natuschka Lee, Philippe Simon et al.: The flora of pollinating insects in Sweden (based on SLU Artfakta, and other sources)
Limited possibilities to analyse all
pollen
Need to develop systematic
screenings (plant, pollen, honey)
http://www.botany.sc.chula.ac.th/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/plantcollage.jpg
13. Beekeeper X
Bee hive: Karl von Frisch, for
honeybee haaviour
Sorting and
documentation of
pollen and honey,
and shipping to
schools and other
labs
https://libquotes.com/apics/karl-von-frisch.jpg
Guest researcher, Baraa Rehamnia
14. Participating pupils: > 1000
(7-9th grades, but other grades are also welcome)
Tasks:
1) Sort and count pollen aggregates -> statistic distributions
2) Microscopy to describe simple morphologies
3) Rough plant identification -> first attempt to interpret
local pollination ecology
4) Presentation of results as posters + school competition
Tools:
1) Instruction manuals
2) Pollen colour map
3) Pollen morphology-colour map
4) SLU Artfakta, Artdatabanken
5) Tables
6) Field studies
https://nobelprizemuseum.se/skola/pollenjakten-
2021-ars-projekt-i-forskarhjalpen/
All teachers obtained a nice
pedagogic package of gifts and info
about different pro-pollination
activities all around Sweden, e.g.
• Naturvårdsverket Rädda Bina
• Pollinera Sverige
… and chocolate with pollen!
15. Pollen studies at the schools
Photos from Pops Academy, 8th grade, in Umeå
17. Simplified pollen-morphology-colour key
Structure: 242 different plant species
(257 plant genera) in Swedish and
Latin, sorted after:
• Colour, based on the 249 code
system
• Morphology – based on 15 main
types
• Photos and link to image source
(mostly PalDat)
• Size
Raw draft online – copyright: Natuschka Lee, Philippe Simon et al, Umeå University. Vision: prepare a proper bee pollen manual!
18. Follow up studies: classic & complementary studies
Applied aspects:
Statistical distribution of plants visited by honeybees
Natural plant biodiversity
Pesticide exposure rates
Implications on wild pollinators
Where possible, complement with field studies
Updated data on bee pollen
Colours
Morphology
Updated pollen manual
Initiate regular bee pollen screenings?
Bee pollen herbarium for future collections
Photo database
-> AI and digital tools for simplified identification
of pollen in beepollen and honey
Advanced complementary scientific studies
DNA metabarcoding -> pollination networks
Spectroscopy (FT-Raman, FTIR)
Nutrient status in pollen
Microbiome (beneficial microbes; pathogens/parasites/
toxing producing fungi)
Pornon et al, 2017
Kendel & Zimmermann, 2020
Kostić, A. Ž., et al 2019
https://live.staticflickr.com/3019/5858892081_d383b6cba2_b.jpg
19. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Funding for research and pollination ecology actions:
• Jordbruksverket – the honeybee program
• LONA – Pollination program, Environmental Protection
Agency
• Kempe Stiftelserna
• Göran Gustafssons Stiftelse för natur och miljö i Lappland
• Ekhaga Stiftelse
• INTERREG project, Nordens Ark et al.
• Junsele Animal Park – planning for a dedicated section on
insects and pollinators (with bee hives, insect hotels,
butterfly pavilion, trails
• Collaborator: CARI Belgium
Ongoing collaboration plans:
• Beescanning – Björn Lagerman and his team
• Vibrational spectroscopy, Umeå University
• NRM Palyonology laboratory
• SLU Artdatabanken/Jordbruksverket/Naturvårdsverket
• e-Sense
• and many others…
NOBLE PRIZE MUSEUM
> 75 bee keepers in Sweden
Students at UmU: Paulina Bergmark, Valeria Cirucina, Ella
Elmgart, Rashid Munam Kadhim, Alexander Källmann,
Oscar Lövbom Pia Nylander, Johan Närva, Jesper Persson,
Baraa Rehamnia, Kai Sattler, Irina Schuman, Philippe
Simon, Jennifer Sondell, Tobias Westling, Cecilia Åström,
Anne de Woerkom
ERASMUS students: Damien Arrivé, Pauline Audru,
Marine Gueylard, Marie Lopez Magana, Thibault Meekel,
Meriam Mehdajed, Tomas Momboeuf-Faceira
Umeå Center for Electron Microscopy
