Modelling the effect of bumble bee population dynamics and dispersal on pollination of blueberry crops

This project is part of a larger mathematical modelling research project that has the broad objective of answering the question: Where should wildflowers be planted around blueberry farms to increase bumble bee pollination and provide the best economic result to the growers? To that end, we are creating an online tool in which blueberry growers can create a map of their farm, marking blueberry crop zones and potential wildflower planting areas. The map will then be imported into the Bumble-BEEHAVE model citep{Becher2018}, where the bumble bee movement and population dynamics are simulated for a period of several years, and the number of visits to each flower patch and blueberry field are recorded. The focus of this project is to make the connection between the number of bee visits to a blueberry field and the pollination services received by that field, providing the output an individual grower needs to make wildflower planting decisions for their farm.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rebecca Tyson;John Braun

Student:

Partner:

University of Exeter

Discipline:

Mathematics

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia - Okanagan

Program: