Ecosystem services and dis-services

Ecosystem services are ecological functions important for human survival and wellbeing. We focus on pollination and pollinators, in particular wild and managed bees, as a main ecosystem service to agriculture and nature. We use this as a model system to study questions related to the provision, stability, and value of pollination services. Studies are performed in both agricultural and natural settings and involve field surveys of pollinators, pollination experiments, behavioral studies, and modelling. Currently studied topics include:

• Pollination services by wild insects to a variety of crops including almond, apple, strawberry, sunflower, watermelon, onion.
• The relationship between pollinator diversity and their pollination services, patterns of inter and intra-specific complementary in pollinator communities.
• Ecosystem services and dis-services to agriculture, plant-mediated interactions between pollinators, natural enemies and pests.