Many pollinators across the globe are experiencing population threats and declines (Potts et al. 2010). Approximately 85 percent of the world’s flowering plants depend on animals, mostly insects, for pollination (Ollerton et al. 2011). As over 80 percent of the United States population lives in cities (U.S. Census Bureau 2016),...
Scientists have long recognized that bees and other insects respond to floral color, including ultraviolet (UV) floral patterns that are invisible to the human eye. While previous research has focused on isolating and capturing these UV markings in laboratory settings, methods that could be used in natural settings needed to...
School garden programs have become increasingly popular for their diverse, positive benefits. School gardens are often promoted as a relatively low cost means to offer hands-on learning opportunities that may foster academic achievement, particularly in the sciences, however only six studies have been published on the impact of garden education...
Urban agriculture (UA) is defined as the production of food crops or livestock within urban areas. Despite its popularity in the United States, research into UA systems suffers from a general underrepresentation of commercial urban systems. As a result, urban growers often have unique technological needs that are unmet by...
Due to a growing body of literature documenting declines in pollinator populations, there has been increased public interest in pollinator conservation. In urban and suburban landscapes, many gardeners and urban land managers are interested in gardening for pollinators, particularly bees. Simultaneously, many homeowners and municipalities are interested in other aspects...
The foraging distance of bees has been intensely studied. In contrast, little is known about the factors that determine bee dispersal distance, especially on large spatial scales. Eucera (Peponapis) pruinosa is a wild ground nesting bee that exclusively collects pollen from squash in the genus Cucurbita. Although the bee occurs...
Agricultural areas can be inhospitable to the attraction and maintenance of beneficial insects like natural enemies and pollinators and this can result in a decrease in the ecosystem services of pollination and pest control that these insects supply. If habitat can be created and maintained on-farm, an increase in the...
The choice of what to eat is political, and food systems shape and are shaped by political and economic power. During the last several hundred years, agricultural and food power has been consolidated to an unprecedented degree, and this consolidation continues today. This paper will describe this process as “Governing...
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted disparities in land access and food security. Research has shown that access to gardening reduces financial burdens on low-income households. Compared to homeowners, individuals and families in rental housing face added barriers to vegetable gardening and growing food. These barriers include rental housing regulations and the...
Olive production potential in Oregon was researched in a multi-disciplinary approach, including a grower survey, a propagation greenhouse study, and a field study, from 2018 through 2020. The Oregon Olive Grower Survey was designed to collect information relating to orchard establishment and management practices, knowledge and understanding of these practices,...