By Scout Nelson
Led by Haochi Zheng, an associate professor of Earth System Science & Policy, a team of five researchers at the University of North Dakota is focusing on pollinators. The group includes master’s students Susan Ajonye and Brandon Narum, doctoral students Yeqian Xu and Ossai Alu, and post-doctoral research associate C.K. Pei.
Their research aims to understand the connections between bees, the land they pollinate, and the people managing these landscapes.
Alu focuses on using remote sensing and machine learning techniques to track floral resources for pollinators across North Dakota. He’s interested in understanding how changes in land use impact biodiversity. “North Dakota has a unique workspace,” Alu says, “and I find this work extremely intriguing.”
Narum’s work explores how different pollinators respond to various land covers such as clover, alfalfa, and grasslands. He investigates the relationships between bee species and their habitats, aiming to slow down biodiversity loss. “I want to help protect pollinators,” Narum says.
Xu focuses on roadside habitats, using GoPro technology to document flowers. She enjoys the fieldwork and is excited to use technology in a new way to study pollinators. “The landscape is beautiful,” she says.
Ajonye studies canola crops, a significant North Dakota crop, to understand the relationship between canola production and pollinators. Her research helps protect this key resource.
Meanwhile, Zheng and Pei focus on the social side, collaborating with beekeepers and ranchers to improve pollinator support. Pei also leads efforts to understand the impact of livestock on pollinator habitats.
The team is dedicated to outreach, visiting schools and community events to raise awareness about bees. Pei calls these efforts a “traveling bee circus” to teach kids the importance of pollinators.
Photo Credit:istock-kerem-hanci
Categories: North Dakota, General