Can strategic integration of cultivated pasture legumes into temperate agricultural systems provide stability to honey bee populations and associated industries?

• Published in: Plants, people, planet Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 603 - 620
• Main Authors: Wisdom, Joanne J. M., Kidd, Daniel R., Ryan, Megan H., Barbour, Liz, Hockey, Alistair, Cawthray, Gregory R., Foster, Kevin J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lancaster John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.05.2025; Wiley
• Subjects: Agricultural land; Agricultural practices; Agriculture; apiaries; Apis mellifera; Australia; Beekeeping; Bees; Case studies; Climate change; Clover; Crops; Cultivars; Farming systems; florets; Grasslands; Honey; honey bees; Horticulture; industry; Introduced species; Legumes; Literature reviews; Livestock; Livestock industry; Morphology; Nectar; Pasture; pasture legumes; pastures; phenology; Plant nectar; Plant reproduction; Plant reproductive structures; Pollen; pollen proteins; Pollinators; Populations; Red clover; species; Stability; Sucrose; Trifolium; Trifolium pratense; Trifolium repens; vegetation; Western European region; Australia; Europe; Western European region

Societal Impact Statement Humans and honey bees have a long history of interaction to yield valued products and services. However, honey bees are under pressure from changes in vegetation, agricultural practices and climate change. We investigate if pasture legumes can be harnessed to support honey...