SP 5: Ensuring crop yields through supporting pollinator diversity

Project manager: Prof. Dr. Sara D. Leonhardt
Scientific staff: Paula Prucker

Many crops grown in Bavaria depend on insect pollinators to achieve fruit set and maintain stable high yields. Climate change threatens numerous pollinator species and exacerbates their already worrying decline, especially in agricultural landscapes, with subsequent negative consequences for crop yields. Temperatures and drought affect pollinators and crops both directly and indirectly; with consequences for pollination stability and fruit set still widely unknown. The project aims to clarify how changes in temperature and drought affect pollination success and yield of selected Bavarian crops. We also want to understand which factors (i.e. abundance, diversity and activity of pollinators and attractiveness of flowers) underlie the observed effects. Based on our findings we will design strategies to promote pollinator diversity and support their populations in agricultural landscapes thus ensuring yield of pollinator-dependent ('entomophilous') crops also under a changing climate.

Poster kick off meeting (German)             
Project description kick off meeting (German)