Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Pollinators are essential for crop production and the maintenance of plant diversity, and therefore critical to sustaining humanity, but pollinator populations are declining worldwide. To stem these declines, there is an urgent need to better understand how multiple stressors, including disease, pollutants, and land use change, converge to influence plant-pollinator interactions. This research will uncover the impact of urbanization and associated rapid anthropogenic environmental change on plant-pollinator-parasite interactions and develop scalable interventions to improve urban landscapes for pollinators. This research will investigate how urbanization affects characteristics, behaviour, fitness, and disease dynamics in plant-pollinator-parasite systems, focusing on interactions between the wildflower Monarda fistulosa, bumble bees (among the most abundant and important wild pollinators), and bee parasites. These are species of high ecological relevance, with broad ranges across Canada, and represent an important model system for understanding food web structure and the role of disease-induced changes to pollinator foraging behaviour. Research will be conducted in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), which is a rapidly urbanizing region. The GTA is home to a diverse range of plant and pollinator species, including Monarda and bumble bees. Moreover, among North American cities, Toronto is at the forefront of innovative design for alternative transportation infrastructure and urban agriculture, making it an exciting test case. The research will use field surveys, greenhouse and growth chamber experiments, and tools from molecular and chemical ecology to gain a deeper understanding of the interactions between plants, pollinators, and parasites. It will prioritize training of the next generation of researchers in ecology and the natural sciences, with opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and research technicians. Trainees will gain expertise in state-of-the-art practices in field ecology, chemical ecology, and molecular biology, as well as data analysis and science communication, as part of the dynamic interdisciplinary Bee Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Organized Research Centre at York University. Trainees will be equipped to make important contributions towards transformative change for a more sustainable society. Results of the research will help us understand how urbanization is affecting pollinator populations, pollinator health, and pollination services. This project will contribute significantly to efforts to harmonize biodiversity conservation and human wellbeing in cities. The knowledge generated will be essential for developing strategies to conserve pollinator populations, thereby i) mitigating the negative effects of urbanization on pollinators and ii) promoting pollination services in urban areas. These findings are of broad importance to Canada, given the rapid growth of urban areas nationwide.