Hi all:
Here is more information.
Regards,
Dee A. Lusby
Small Cell Commercial Beekeeper
Moyza, Arizona
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/organicbeekeepers/
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http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_3665.cfm
Wild Bees Reject Genetically Engineered Crop--Potential
Major Impact
on Pollination
Ecological Society of America, Dec 23, 2006
From Ecological Society of America Referring to a Sept.
2004 peer-
reviewed article
Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University,
8888
University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6,
Canada
Abstract. The ecological impacts of agriculture are of
concern,
especially with genetically modified and other intensive,
modern
cropping systems, yet little is known about effects on wild
bee
populations and subsequent implications for pollination.
Pollination
deficit (the difference between potential and actual
pollination) and
bee abundance were measured in organic, conventional, and
herbicide-
resistant, genetically modified (GM) canola fields
(Brassica napus
and B. rapa) in northern Alberta, Canada, in the summer of
2002.
Bee abundance data were collected using pan traps and
standardized
sweep netting, and pollination deficit was assessed by
comparing the
number of seeds per fruit from open-pollinated and
supplementally
pollinated flowers. There was no pollination deficit in
organic
fields, a moderate pollination deficit in conventional
fields, and
the greatest pollination deficit in GM fields. Bee
abundance was
greatest in organic fields, followed by conventional
fields, and
lowest in GM fields. Overall, there was a strong, positive
relationship between bee abundance at sampling locations
and reduced
pollination deficits. Seed set in B. napus increased with
greater bee
abundance. Because B. rapa is an obligate outcrossing
species, the
lack of pollination deficit in the organic (B. rapa) fields
likely
was due to the high bee abundance rather than a lower
dependence of
B. rapa on pollinators than B. napus canola. Our study
illustrates
the importance of wild bees to agricultural production and
suggests
that some agroecosystems may better sustain wild bee
abundance,
resulting in greater seed production.
Further research on why some cropping systems, such as
genetically
modified, herbicide-resistant canola, have low wild bee
abundance
would be useful for management of agroecosystems to promote
sustainability of food production. Key words: agriculture;
bees;
Brassica rapa; Brassica napus; canola; conventional;
genetically
modified; organic; pollination; sustainable development.
Manuscript received 3 September 2003; revised 3 September
2004;
accepted 8 September 2004. Corresponding Editor: C. R.
Linder ©
Copyright by Ecological Society of America 2005
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