13.01.2016 | Media Release

Global change is affecting bee colonies more than pesticides

Photo: Stephan Härtel, MLU

Note for the media: Use of the pictures provided by iDiv is permitted for reports related to this media release only, and under the condition that credit is given to the picture originator.

Pesticides and parasites are not responsible for the regional decline of honeybee colonies. Biologists of the Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) including the iDiv member scientist World events affected bee colonies more than pesticides have found, that political and socio-economic changes, such as revolutions or civil wars, and the global trade honey play a much bigger role. Their findings are published in the journal "Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment". Press release of MLU in German:
http://pressemitteilungen.pr.uni-halle.de/index.php?modus=pmanzeige&pm_id=2510Publication:
Robin F.A. Moritz, Silvio Erler (2016) Lost colonies found in a data mine: Global honey trade but not pests or pesticides as a major cause of regional honeybee colony declines. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Volume 216, 15 January 2016, Pages 44-50, ISSN 0167-8809, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2015.09.027.

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