Developing a pollen nutrition database for North America

Poor nutrition is one of the major stressors of bee species and is a main contributor to loss in pollinator populations. Bees are currently faced with many nutritional challenges, including loss of forage habitat and monoculture. The aim of this project is to promote better nutrition for bees by learning which floral resources are nutritionally optimal for all bees based on the nutritional composition of their pollens. This study first uses various methods of pollen collection in order to collect sufficient pollen from each target species of plants. Next, the collected pollen samples are analyzed in the lab using basic biochemical assays, as well as mass spectrometry-based methods, to determine the nutritional quality of the pollen. The pollen is analyzed for its concentration of proteins, lipids, amino acids, sterols, metabolites, and phytochemicals. Finally, all of this data collected will be compiled into an online database showcasing the nutritional quality of each plant species’ pollen. This database can be used by beekeepers, conservation groups, researchers, growers, and policymakers to scientifically select forage plants for bee pollinators.