Life Sciences Commons^™

Investigating Routes Of Pollinator Exposure To Pesticides, Jessica Cole

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to minimize the negative impact of harmful pests. However, the use of pesticides also has non-target effects on beneficial insects such pollinators. In addition to the direct harm to pollinators foraging on crops during pesticide application, pesticides are also frequently utilized in non-agricultural settings, and can drift to non-target areas via the wind and water. Plants growing in such contaminated soils may absorb pesticides and express them in their flowers, specifically the pollen and nectar upon which pollinators rely. This is particularly important because encouraging wildflower growth alongside fields is a common strategy to …