Travel to Texas tech University to learn methods in analysis and isolation of pollen and royal jelly sterols.
Lead Research Organisation:
Royal Botanic Gardens
Department Name: Natural Capital and Plant Health
Abstract
United States of America
Publications
Zu P
(2021)
Pollen sterols are associated with phylogeny and environment but not with pollinator guilds.
in The New phytologist
| Description | How to analyses sterols form plants species which has fed directly into the success of the Macronutrients diet of bees project - BB/P005276/1 |
| Exploitation Route | To support further analysis of sterols in plants particularly pollen. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | Pollinator Advisory Steering Group - Defra |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Changes to land management and influencing implementation of UK gov ies to address land use change. |
| Description | The influence of diet on the honeybee lipidome |
| Amount | £323,690 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/T014210/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2020 |
| End | 05/2023 |
| Description | Wild plants for pollinator health and the role of nectar and pollen chemistry |
| Amount | £220,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Peter Sowerby Foundation |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2018 |
| End | 06/2021 |
| Description | The macronutrient regulation of adult worker honeybees |
| Organisation | Newcastle University |
| Department | Institute of Neuroscience |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Co-PI investigating the key nutritional components in honeybee diets for the development of a food supplement for commercial bees. Natural Products chemistry of pollen and nectar. The Jodrell Laboratory has world-class expertise in the characterization of phytochemicals from plants and is equipped with state-of-the-art LC-MS and GC-MS equipment, including NMR facilities that will all be used in Kew's contribution to this action. We have also undertaken a pollen sterol survey to establish the variation across plant taxa and inform how this might drive specialisation in bees for pollen. |
| Collaborator Contribution | My partner on this collaboration is Prof GA Wright formerly of Newcastle now at Oxford who is the PI of the BBSRC funded parent project BB/P005276/1 The macronutrient regulation of adult worker honeybees. Her lab has been conducting the bioassays and preparing samples for sterol chemical analysis. |
| Impact | Several outputs directly resulting from this action are in prep for publication. Other research outputs include Stevenson P.C. 2019. For antagonists and mutualists: the paradox of insect toxic secondary metabolites in nectar and pollen. Phytochemistry Reviews https://doi.org/10.1007/s11101-019-09642-y (in press) Davis, J.K, Aguirre, L.A., Barber, N.A, Stevenson, P.C. and Adler, L.S., From plant fungi to bee parasites: mycorrhizae and soil nutrients shape floral chemistry and bee pathogens. Ecology 100, e 02802 Egan, P., Adler, L.S., Irwin, R.E., Farrel, I.W., Palmer-young, E., Stevenson P.C. 2018. Crop Domestication Alters Floral Reward Chemistry with Potential Consequences for Pollinator Health Frontiers in Plant Science. 9, 1357 Outcomes include a further grant in review "The influence of diet on the honeybee lipidome" BB/T014210/1 Multidisciplinary combining anlaytical chemistry and insect nutritional studies |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Appearance on BBC All Over The Place CBBC TV |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Participated in a programme for CBBC and talked about Kew's and NRIs work on pollinators and bee diversity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Australian Entomological Society Brisbane 1-4th Dec 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited plenary talk at Australian Entomological Society Brisbane 1-4th Dec 2019 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Bees Needs Week outreach event in Carnaby Street with Defra |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | Outreach activity for Defras bees needs week showcasing UKRI funded work on nectar and pollen chemistry and pollaintor health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | European Research Night at Natural History Museum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Controbution to NHM european research night talking about UKRI funded work on nectar chemistry and pollaintor health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | HRH Prince CHarles patron of Kew visit and engagement. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I met with Prince Charles to discuss Kew's work on pollinators and discuss rewilding schemes and the importance of pollinator diversity for food security covering all UKRI projects. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Interviewed for an article in Financial Times |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Discussed future for food and sustainable agriculture. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Invited lecture to Imperial College London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Talk to Imperial College London (Silwood Park) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Kew Science Festival 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Kew science festival using various engagement tools to inform the public about the project and the conservation of pollinators for food security. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/kew-science-festival-returns-for-2019 |
| Description | Kew Science festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Open day with display of pollinator oriented research and activities from Kew Gardens to draw attention to the challenges facing pollinators and the research being undertaken by Kew to address pollinator declines. Also drawing attention to pollaintor diversity |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.kew.org/about-our-organisation/press-media/press-releases/press-release-kew-science-fest... |
| Description | Talk to Bee Keepers Chalfont |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of our research to the Chalfont St Peters Beekeepers Asccociation. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |