July 2017

Urban Life of Bees: A Pollination-Parasite Trade-Off

Urban Bees: A Pollination-Parasite Trade-Off

July 27, 2017April 6, 2021 Science Connectedagriculture, bees, parasite, pollination, urban

Are cities the ideal home for bees? European scientists found that urban bees can have surprisingly good pollination rates. By Jonathan Trinastic Few people would consider cities the ideal home for bees, but what if these dense population centers could provide the means for healthy cohabitation? Scientists from Europe recently examined how bumblebees visit and pollinate flowers across urban and agricultural regions and found that urban areas can have a surprisingly beneficial effect on pollination rates. The reasons behind these results not only provide insight into how cities could be…

Botany Environment Zoology

Tips for a Bee-Friendly Garden

July 20, 2017July 31, 2017 Science Connectedbees, gardening

By Steven Spence @TheStevenSpence More Diverse Than Honeybees When we hear about bees most of us think of honeybees (Apis mellifera) but there are many more bees around us. In fact, there are approximately 4000 native bee species in North America. Some of the most familiar types are bumblebees, mason bees, carpenter bees, and leaf cutter bees. These bee species also are important as pollinators. Fortunately, there are many ways we can help bees flourish whether we have farms, garden plots, backyards, or live in an urban environment with a…

Urban Gardening Benefits Outweigh Lead Exposure Risk

Environment Health

Urban Gardening’s Benefits Outweigh Lead Exposure Risk

July 18, 2017July 17, 2017 Science Connectedurban gardening

By Emily Rhode @riseandsci Three years after the Flint water crisis began, lead in drinking water continues to make headlines across the United States. But should city dwellers also be worried about lead exposure from something as innocent as their neighborhood garden? New research suggests that unless you are eating the dirt itself, you should be just fine. America’s urban neighborhoods are often food deserts where fresh vegetables and fruit are sometimes impossible to come by. Some 49–93 million people in the United States are food insecure—they have limited or…

Biology Environment Science Videos Zoology

Shelf Life Video: Screening Biodiversity

July 13, 2017July 12, 2017 Science Connectedbiodiversity

Scientists at The American Museum of Natural History explain why managing biodiversity is a key component in managing endangered species. This video is another in the Shelf Life series from the American Museum of Natural History. Even though one and a half million species of organisms have already been named and described, they represent just a tiny portion of the biodiversity of our planet. Having a distinct genetic identity is important because more variation tends to be better in the face of the changing world. And when populations get small and isolated…