Caring for Pollinators - Bundesamt für Naturschutz

Ssymank Highlights - Zusammenfassung
Zealand and Australian databases and integrate distributed data, as they become available,
and seeks to have a close link to existing pollination information systems.
2.9 OPI: Monitoring Pollinators: Case studies form Australia and New Zealand by C.L.Gross,
L.E. Newstrom-Lloyd, B. Howlett, G. Piunkett & B.J. Donovan
The poster focuses on monitoring of pollinator communities. Major reasons for monitoring
are to detect changes in pollinator communities and to assess the impact of exotic pollinators
and their relationships with both native and introduced plants, because these play a major
role in many of the oceanian islands. Examples are given from Australia with a legume
shrub Pultenia campbelli, the invasive mutualism of the introduced plant Phyla canescens
pollinated solely by introduced honeybees. New Zealand studies investigated the use of native
flowers by exotic bees in relation to native bee species, as well as the role of native bees
in crop pollination of onion and pak choi.
3. The Pollinators Buffet
The pollinators buffet was a practical demonstration of the benefits of pollination services: 55
different fruits worldwide - from tropical to temperate regions - were presented on a large
buffet to taste the delicious results of pollination. Each fruit was labelled with name of the
plants, its pollinators and its country or region of origin. The selection of fruits was well balanced
to demonstrate all different pollinator groups, such as flies, bees, butterflies, bats,
mammals etc. with the fruit they are responsible for pollinating. Fruits could be eaten directly
from the buffet and were at the same time offered cut, for tasting by a professional cook;
information on the producers was also available, and a fruit cocktail bar served freshly
squeezed juices. The buffet was a full success and attracted approximately 1200 visitors and
delegates within 3 hours, resulting in vivid discussions, talks on cooperation and on the importance
of pollination services. A result of this “pollinators buffet” was the demonstration
that pollination services are “palatable“ and deserve a lot more attention, and highlighted the
need to encourage raising public awareness on the vital ecosystem services of pollination.
4. Additional information
In addition to the presentations and poster of the workshop, the book includes a more complete
overview of the various Pollinators Initiatives, as well as a contribution of the work of
the EPI (European Pollinator Initiative) by Potts et al. Projects from the European Union on
pollinators are also presented, through the EU-ALARM project (Steffan-Dewenter et al.): an
overview is given on current research, and first results of the pollinator module are summarized.
The book includes annexes with detailed information on the pollinators buffet, an overview
on the main pollinator groups in short fact sheets and a collection of web-links with useful
information and some of the most important institutions involved.
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