Systematics, Diversity and Conservation of Wild Bees in Agricultural and Urban Landscapes

Intensification of agriculture and urbanization have been reported as main factors for bee decline through the reduction of resources/habitats in these environments and the effects of pesticide applications. Although global bee diversity is acknowledged as well as their contribution to ecosystems services, further research is necessary for systematic records of diversity even in hot spot diversity areas (e.g. in Europe). Moreover, research should elaborate more on strategies for conservation of bees and their habitats in the light of implementation in practice.

Bees are immensely diverse insects and have a key role in the biodiversity and in the function of vital food-webs through the provision of pollination service for a vast majority of crops and wild plants worldwide. However, intensive agriculture and urbanization have put great pressure on bees and other pollinating insects through the impact on their habitats in agricultural and urban landscapes, pesticide use and other sources of environmental pollution.
Therefore, knowledge on their present status worldwide, practices to support their conservation and sustainable measures to enhance suitable habitats that provide food and shelter to pollinators in these environments is of fundamental importance. In this respect, this Research Topic will bring together up to date records and research on taxonomy, distribution and ecology of bees, especially wild bees, monitoring systems of their diversity and habitats, foraging plants, threats and pests, conservation methods and successful schemes for their upscale implementation.

The scope of this Research Topic is to underpin the importance of bees, especially wild bees, in global biodiversity and the ecosystem service of pollination for cultivated and wild plants. Hence, we invite contributions of research and review papers on bee taxonomy, distribution and ecology; monitoring systems of their diversity and habitats; foraging plants; bee threats and pests; conservation methods and successful schemes for their upscale implementation, habitat rehabilitation after natural disasters.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Classification
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: taxonomy, biodiversity, conservation, pollinators, bee decline, crops, management practices, pesticides, landscape

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.