Research &

Innovation

Latest (EC funded) research projects on bees and pollinators

Béla ATZÉL, PhDplanning and programming officer

Agri-Food ChainBela.ATZEL@ec.europa.eu

European CommissionDirectorate-General for Research & Innovation

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

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 EC funded research

5 projects, funded by FP7 instruments:

• FP7-KBBE - FP7 Specific Programme 'Cooperation' - Research Theme: 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology'

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

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

• FP7-IDEAS-ERC - Specific Programme 'Ideas' implementing the Seventh Framework Programme

Total cost: EUR 25.603.317EU contribution: EUR 20.360.667

Research &

Innovation

Inventory of projects

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

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

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

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

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

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 diversityCall 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

http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/192071_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

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.htmlhttp://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

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

STEPStatus 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://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/93949_en.html

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

Project reference: 244090

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

Project reference: 315146

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

SPACERADARPOLLINATORSpace 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: 339347Funded under: FP7-IDEAS-ERC

http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/185402_en.html

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

3) Future perspectives• FP7 is replcaced by Horizon 2020

• Increase in budget, coupling research to innovation, challenge-based approach, new approach to Work Programme and Calls…

• THERE IS ROOM for project proposals on bees and pollination

• Excellent Science

• European Research Council (ERC)

• 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!