research on honeybees and pollinators: overview of the ... · research & innovation inventory...

Research &

Innovation

Research on honeybees and pollinators:

Overview of the latest projects selected under the last call of FP7

Béla ATZÉL, PhD planning and programming officer

Agri-Food Chain

[email protected]

European Commission

Directorate-General for Research & Innovation

mailto:[email protected]



Research &

Innovation

Structure of the presentation

• 1) Completed projects

• 2) On-going projects

• 3) Future perspectives

Research &

Innovation

1) Completed projects

FP6

• BRAVE - Bee research and virology in Europe - identifying the research needs for protecting European agriculture and ecosystems against viral diseases (2005) http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/75718_en.html

• ALARM - Assessing LArge-scale environmental Risks with tested Methods (2004-2009) http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/74303_en.html

• BEE SHOP - Bees in Europe and Sustainable Honey Production (2006-2009) http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/78605_en.html

http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/75718_en.html









Research &

Innovation

FP7

• BEE DOC - Bees in Europe and the decline of honeybee colonies (2010-2013) http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/94004_en.html

• CLEANHIVE - Detecting the Pathogen that Threatens European Honey Bees (2008-2012) http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/94165_en.html

• APIFRESH - Developing European standards for bee pollen and royal jelly: quality, safety and authenticity (2010-2013) http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/94698_en.html










Research &

Innovation

2) On-going projects

Research &

Innovation

9 projects running, under 4 specific programmes:

• Cooperation:

• Research Theme: 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (FP7-KBBE)

• Research Theme: 'Environment (including climate change)' (FP7-ENVIRONMENT)

• Ideas:

• Frontier research (FP7-IDEAS-ERC)

• People:

• Marie Curie Action

• Capacities:

• Research theme: Research for the benefit of SMEs (FP7-SME)

Total cost: EUR 26.509.959

EU contribution: EUR 21.267.309

Research &

Innovation

Inventory of projects

• STEP – Status and Trends of European Pollinators (2010-2015)

• AMIGA - Assessing and Monitoring the Impacts of Genetically modified plants on Agro-ecosystems (2011-2015)

• AUDITORYFLY - Auditory Processing in Insect Brains (2011-14)

• PYNAMITE - Mode of action and selectivity of pyrethroids on economically important mites and ticks (2012-2014)

• SWARMONITOR - Development of a tool for effective diagnostic monitoring of honey bee colonies (2012-2015)

Research &

Innovation

• SMARTBEES – Sustainable Management of Resilient Bee populations (2014-2018)

• SPACERADARPOLLINATOR - Space use by bees– radar tracking of spatial movement patterns of key pollinators (2014-2019)

• NEUROBEECOG2012 - Smart foraging: neuronal complexity, cognition and foraging in honey bees (2014-2016)

• BEEFUN - Pollinator responses to global change and its implications for ecosystem function (2014-2018)

(Started in 2014)

Research &

Innovation

SMARTBEES Sustainable Management of Resilient Bee populations (2014-2018)

Total cost:

EUR 7 762 261

EU contribution:

EUR 5 998 866

Coordinated in:

Germany

Subprogramme:

KBBE.2013.1.3-02 - Sustainable apiculture and conservation of honey bee genetic diversity

Call for proposal:

FP7-KBBE-2013-7-single-stage

•

Funding scheme:

CP-TP - Collaborative Project targeted to a special group (such as SMEs)

Project reference: 613960 Funded under: FP7-KBBE


http://cordis.europa.eu/programme/rcn/851_en.html




Research &

Innovation

• Objectives

• to identify crucial facets of honeybee resistance to colony losses, Varroa and viruses;

• to characterise the genetic background of the resistance mechanisms in honeybees;

• to develop breeding strategies to increase the frequencies of these valuable traits in local honeybee populations;

• to promote multiple local breeding efforts, to conserve local resilient populations and will develop molecular tools for describing and safeguarding future populations;

• to protect European natural honeybee heritage.

Research &

Innovation

SPACERADARPOLLINATOR Space use by bees– radar tracking of spatial movement patterns of key pollinators (2014-2019)

Total cost:

EUR 3 438 922

EU contribution:

EUR 3 438 922

Coordinated in:

United Kingdom

Subprogramme:

ERC-AG-LS8 - ERC Advanced Grant - Evolutionary, population and environmental biology

Call for proposal:

ERC-2013-ADG

Funding scheme:

ERC-AG - ERC Advanced Grant

Project reference: 339347 Funded under: FP7-IDEAS-ERC









Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• transponder miniaturisation, to develop radar technology to allow coverage of areas of up to 10km2 and the exploration of the 3rd dimension of insect flight;

• tracking bees in three dimensions:

• to identify the rules of bee movements at the landscape scale,

• to monitor natural resource exploration and exploitation

• to quantify individual differences in space use.

• to monitor competitive interactions as well as the possibility of social learning in space use.

• to identify spatial movement strategies of queens and males;

• to increase the understanding of pollinator space use, but also for the conservation, management, and the understanding of mating patterns in the plants they pollinate.

Research &

Innovation

NEUROBEECOG2012 Smart foraging: neuronal complexity, cognition and foraging in honey bees (2014-16)

Total cost:

EUR 299 558

EU contribution:

EUR 299 558

Coordinated in:

United Kingdom

Subprogramme: FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF - Marie Curie Action: "International Incoming Fellowships"

Call for proposal:

FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IIF

Funding scheme:

MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)

Project reference: 328446 Funded under: FP7-PEOPLE




Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• to investigate how honey bees solve choice tasks when available information is limited. (metacognition / alternative simpler strategies)

• to examine how bees recognize and communicate uncertainty about floral resources when foraging socially.

• to determine how natural and manipulated changes in neuronal complexity relate to the abilities of bees to solve cognitive demanding tasks and foraging.

• to examine how cognitive differences, natural and otherwise, relate to neuronal complexity by determining the anatomical changes that occur in key regions of the honey bee brain.

• to determine the relationship between neuronal complexity and cognitive ability and foraging performance and will advance understanding of the evolution and biology of cognition.

Research &

Innovation

BEEFUN Pollinator responses to global change and its implications for ecosystem function (2014-2018)

Total cost:

EUR 100 000

EU contribution:

EUR 100 000

Coordinated in:

Spain

Subprogramme: FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG - Marie-Curie Action: "Career Integration Grants"

Call for proposal:

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-CIG

Funding scheme:

MC-CIG - Support for training and career development of researcher (CIG)





Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• to understand the effects of pollinators species loss in real ecosystems.

• to understand the threats to the pollinator species that provide this critical ecosystem function and assess the consequences of their decline in real ecosystems.

• to investigate this relationship between the stability of ecosystems and the adaptation of species to anthropogenic habitats,

• to develope a framework that takes into account trait functional diversity, species specific responses, and community structure.

• to use new synthetic analysis of existing datasets form Europe and US, and long-term monitoring of experimentally manipulated natural communities in southern Spain.

Research &

Innovation

3) Future perspectives

FP7 is replcaced by Horizon 2020

• What's new?

• • Coupling research to innovation – from research to retail, all forms of innovation

• • Focus on societal challenges facing EU society (e.g. food security, environment…)

• • Simplified access, for all companies, universities, institutes in all EU countries and beyond…

• …increase in budget!

Research &

Innovation

Room for project proposals on bees and pollination

• Excellent Science

• European Research Council (ERC)

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions (MSCA)

• Industrial leadership

• Innovation in SMEs

• Societal Challenges

• SC2: Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry…

• SC5: Climate Action, Environment, Research Efficiency…

Research &

Innovation

Thank you for your attention!

Research &

Innovation

Annexs for Q&A session

Research &

Innovation

AMIGA Assessing and Monitoring the Impacts of Genetically modified plants on Agro-ecosystems (2011-2015)

Total cost:

EUR 7 779 852

EU contribution:

EUR 5 997 963

Coordinated in:

Italy

http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/101406_en.html http://www.amigaproject.eu/

Subprogramme:

KBBE.2011.3.5-01 - GM crops in the EU - systematically assessing environmental and economic impacts

Call for proposal:

FP7-KBBE-2011-5

Funding scheme:

CP-IP - Large-scale integrating project

Project reference: 289706


http://www.amigaproject.eu/

Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• providing baseline data on biodiversity in agro-ecosystems in the EU;

• defining lists of suitable bioindicators for various European regions;

• improving knowledge on potential long term environmental effects of genetically modified plants (GMPs);

• testing the efficacy of the EFSA Guidance Document (GD) for the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of GMPs;

• exploring new strategies for post market monitoring;

• estimating the compatibility of GMPs with the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles implemented in the EU;

• providing a systematic analysis of economical aspects of GMPs cultivation in the EU; and

• setting a training and communication plan addressing public concerns about GMPs.

Research &

Innovation

STEP Status and Trends of European Pollinators (2010-2015)

Total cost:

EUR 4 787 289

EU contribution:

EUR 3 499 994

Coordinated in:

United Kingdom

Subprogramme:

ENV.2009.2.1.4.1 - Assess the pan-European status of pollinators

Call for proposal:

FP7-ENV-2009-1

Funding scheme:

CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project


http://www.step-project.net/








Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• to document the status and trends of pollinators (managed honeybees, wild bees and hoverflies) and animal-pollinated plant populations;

• to determine and analyse the multiple pressures that are driving changes in pollinators and animal-pollinated plants;

• to assess the impact of changes ;

• to evaluate and synthesise strategies to mitigate the impacts;

• to analyse and improve the interface between the scientific knowledge base on pollinator change assessment and policy instruments to reduce pollinator / pollination loss and mitigate its effects;

• to develop communication and educational links with a wide range of stakeholders and the general public.

Research &

Innovation

SWARMONITOR Development of a tool for effective diagnostic monitoring of honey bee colonies (2012-2015)

• Total cost:

• EUR 1 834 993

• EU contribution:

• EUR 1 424 922

• Coordinated in:

• United Kingdom

http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/105847_en.html www.swarmonitor.com

• Subprogramme:

• SME-2012-2 - Research for SME associations

• Call for proposal:

• FP7-SME-2012

• Funding scheme:

• BSG-SME-AG - Research for SME associations/groupings






http://www.swarmonitor.com/




Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• to develop the first monitoring tool that would detect changes in honey bee activity within the beehive for the effective management of bees.

• the tool to allow beekeepers to remotely diagnose colony status without the invasive opening of hives for physical inspection.

• to increase the efficiency of beekeeping allowing small and hobby beekeepers to more closely manage their colonies and predict behaviour that requires intervention remotely.

• to allow commercial beekeepers to keep more hives over greater geographical distances so increasing their efficiency and profitability.

Research &

Innovation

AUDITORYFLY Auditory Processing in Insect Brains (2011-14)

Total cost:

EUR 228 277

EU contribution:

EUR 228 277

Coordinated in:

Germany

• Subprogramme: FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF - Marie Curie Action: "International Outgoing Fellowships for Career Development"

• Call for proposal: FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IOF

• Funding scheme: MC-IOF - International Outgoing Fellowships (IOF)





Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• to characterise the auditory system, from sensory input to behavioural output, using the brain of Drosophila fruit flies and honeybees.

• to identify neurons responding to species-specific sound features.

• to identify neurons in the auditory centres of the honeybee, while studying brain structures involved in a sophisticated communication mode (waggle dance).

• to discover circuits underlying sound processing in the brain and will contribute to the understanding of fundamental principles of communication.

Research &

Innovation

PYNAMITE Mode of action and selectivity of pyrethroids on economically important mites and ticks (2012-2014)

Total cost:

EUR 278 807

EU contribution:

EUR 278 807

Coordinated in:

United Kingdom

• Subprogramme: FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF - Marie-Curie Action: "Intra-European fellowships for career development"

• Call for proposal:

• FP7-PEOPLE-2011-IEF

• Funding scheme:

• MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF)





Research &

Innovation

Objectives

• to increase the understanding of pyrethroid effect mechanism and selectivity on mites/ticks (crucial for the design of next generation compounds).

• to enhance selectivity of pyrethroid pesticides - model organism Varroa mites on honeybees.

• to characterise pyrethroid interactions with tick/mite Na channels at molecular level.

• to identify novel resistance mutations and resistance development in pest populations threatens the long-term success of currently effective compounds.

• to develop rapid, high throughput DNA-based assays for diagnosing the presence/absence of resistance mutations in field populations of ticks/mites.

research on honeybees and pollinators: overview of the ... · research & innovation inventory...

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