Pollination Biology : Biodiversity Conservation and Agricultural Production

Annotation This book has a wider approach not strictly focused on crop production compared to other books that are strictly oriented towards bees, but has a generalist approach to pollination biology. It also highlights relationships between introduced and wild pollinators and consequences of such introductions on communities of wild pollinating insects. The chapters on biochemical basis of plant-pollination interaction, pollination energetics, climate change and pollinators and pollinators as bioindicators of ecosystem functioning provide a base for future insights into pollination biology. The role of honeybees and wild bees on crop pollination, value of bee pollination, planned honeybee pollination, non-bee pollinators, safety of pollinators, pollination in cages, pollination for hybrid seed production, the problem of diseases, genetically modified plants and bees, the role of bees in improving food security and livelihoods, capacity building and awareness for pollinators are also discussed Front Matter....Pages i-xxix Introduction....Pages 1-23 Historical Perspective....Pages 25-35 Pollination – Basic Concepts....Pages 37-54 Applied Pollination: Present Scenario....Pages 55-83 Honeybee and Crop Pollination....Pages 85-110 Wild Bees and Crop Pollination....Pages 111-184 Value of Bee Pollination....Pages 185-222 Planned Honeybee Pollination for Crop Production....Pages 223-264 Non Bee Pollinators-Plant Interaction....Pages 265-310 Safety of Pollinators....Pages 311-352 Pollination in Cages....Pages 353-395 Pollination for Hybrid Seed Production....Pages 397-411 Biochemical Basis of Plant-Pollination Interaction....Pages 413-458 Pollination Energetics....Pages 459-478 Climate Change and Pollinators....Pages 479-508 Pollinators as Bioindicators of Ecosystem Functioning....Pages 509-544 Decline in Pollinators....Pages 545-601 The Problem of Diseases in Bees....Pages 603-633 Consequences of Introduced Honeybees Upon Native Bee Communities....Pages 635-667 Genetically Modified Plants and Bees....Pages 669-707 Management of Pollinators for Crop Plants and Wildlife....Pages 709-735 The Role of Pollination in Improving Food Security and Livelihoods....Pages 737-770 Capacity Building and Awareness for Pollinators....Pages 771-785 Back Matter....Pages 787-792 This book discusses the interplay between pollinators, agriculture, and the environment. The book is an unique blend of pure and applied science placed in the broader human social context. It deals with basic and applied aspects of pollination biology. The chapters on pollination energetics, climate change, pollinator decline, biochemical basis of plant-pollination interaction, pollinators as bioindicators of ecosystem functioning, consequences of introduced honeybees upon native bee communities and capacity building are innovative and provide a base for future insights into pollination biology. The book will be useful to pollination biologists, students, teachers, scientists of agriculture, animal behaviour, botany, conservation, biology, ecology, entomology, environmental biology, forestry, genetics, plant breeding, horticulture, toxicology, zoology, seed growers and seed agencies. The author is a well known bee scientist, honoured with several national and international awards. He has published over 200 original research papers, authored 10 books and visited Switzerland, Poland, South Korea and several other countries as special invitee Offering a unique blend of pure and applied science placed in a broader human social context, this book discusses the interplay among pollinators, agriculture and the environment. Covers the biochemical basis of pollination, the role of bees and more.