The Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State to Host International Conference

Online, December 10, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Penn State's Center for Pollinator Research will be hosting the first International Conference on Pollinator Biology, Heath and Policy from July 24-28, 2010. This is the first notice.

The Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State is a hub for research and education concerning pollinator health, especially the factors causing honey bee population declines. The Center consists of dynamic group of 26 independent faculty, including researchers, educators, extension specialists and outreach coordinators, spanning multiple departments and colleges at Penn State. Research and education efforts cover a broad range of fields, including behavior, genomics, disease ecology, the effects of pesticides and other stressors on pollinator health, as well as conservation and management of native bees and honey bees.

According to Christina Grozinger, associate professor of entomology and director of the center, the focus of the conference will be current research on pollinator biology and health, as well as policies related to pollinator conservation. "Pollinators are essential for both plants and animals in agricultural and natural ecosystems." Grozinger explains. "Unfortunately, there has been a dramatic decline in both managed and native pollinator populations due to a variety of stressors, which have been highlighted by the recent reports of Colony Collapse Disorder. This conference will bring together a diverse group of experts, so we can better address these complex issues."

The conference will include symposia on behavioral ecology, disease ecology, impacts of environmental toxins, policy and public outreach, conservation, updates on international honey bee population declines and poster sessions. For more information about the conference or the Center, visit website at http://ento.psu.edu/news/2009/pollinator-conference, or contact Grozinger at (814)-865-1895 or [email protected], or Diana Cox-Foster at (814) 865-1022 or [email protected].

The Center for Pollinator Research at Penn State includes 26 independent groups and spans Penn State's Departments of Entomology, Biology, Horticulture, Crop and Soil Science and Landscape Architecture; the Arboretum at Penn State; the PA Department of Agriculture; and the USDA. Center activities are supported by government grants, corporate gifts, the beekeeping industry and Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.