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More Evidence Neonics Inhibit Social Behaviour

January 20, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

Exposure to neonicotinoid (neonic) insecticides leads to a decrease in pollination frequency and fewer social interactions in bumblebees, according to research published by scientists from Harvard University and University of California, Davis. The study, released last year but presented lastweek at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology’s annual meeting, underscores the need for regulators […]

The R&A To Partner Golf Environment Awards

January 20, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

STRI Group is delighted to announce that The R&A has agreed to become a lead partner of the Golf Environment Awards (GEA). The R&A will work alongside STRI to bring greater credibility and recognition to what is the most valued and established award programme, that directly promotes golf’s positive environmental standing. The GEA provide the […]

More Evidence Neonics Inhibit Social Behaviour

January 20, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

The R&A To Partner Golf Environment Awards

January 20, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

More Evidence Neonics Inhibit Social Behaviour

January 20, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

The study, released last year but presented lastweek at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology’s annual meeting, underscores the need for regulators and policy makers to eliminate use of these chemicals, not only to protect honey bees, but also wild pollinators like the bumblebee.

While worker bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) divide their tasks within the colony in a similar manner to honey bees, their nests appear quite different than their more structured cousins. “Bumblebee nests are not the organized, beautiful geometry of the honeybee,” said James Crall, PhD candidate in Harvard’s Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology. Instead, “They’re more a hodge-podge of food and larvae in a pile in the middle of the nest space.”

For their study, researchers placed four bumblebee colonies in a mesh enclosed area, tagged each bee, and observed them foraging on tomato flowers grown in a pollinator-excluding greenhouse (to ensure bees had freshly-opened flowers for pollination each day). After observing normal behavior, bees within each colony were then randomly assigned to ingest increasing levels of the neonic imidacloprid (0, 0.0515, 0.515, or 5.15 ng of imidacloprid, respectively). Results show that workers exposed to imidacloprid tend to move toward the outside edge of the nest and spend less time caring for their brood (young).

Pollination by individual workers is also significantly affected by imidacloprid exposure, with pollinating worker bees less likely to resume foraging after being exposed. The morphology of the tomato flower makes it nearly impossible to be successfully pollinated by honey bees. Instead, bumblebees (and certain other wild pollinators) “sonicate,” or buzz tomato plants by producing a vibration that shakes loose the plant’s pollen. But researchers found that even at low and modest doses (0.515, or 5.15 ng) neonic exposure makes pollination significantly less likely.

To read the full article, click here

The R&A To Partner Golf Environment Awards

January 20, 2017/in Press Release/by Admin

STRI Group is delighted to announce that The R&A has agreed to become a lead partner of the Golf Environment Awards (GEA).

The R&A will work alongside STRI to bring greater credibility and recognition to what is the most valued and established award programme, that directly promotes golf’s positive environmental standing.

The GEA provide the platform from which the golf industry can demonstrate environmental excellence in all its forms. This has been demonstrated by past finalists and can range from relatively simple but effective projects, to grand scale schemes.

The environment forms a key part of The R&A’s sustainability drive (forming an important element of its GreenLinks initiative for The Open), FEGGA’s statement on Responsible Golf Course Management, the OnCourse® platform and the Golf Environment Organisation’s certification programme, GEO Certified.

Bob Taylor, head of ecology at STRI, said: “There is no better time to become involved in the Golf Environment Awards now that The R&A has come on board. They will bring fresh ideas, and enhanced recognition that will elevate environmental awareness and excellence at golf club level.”

Steve Isaac, Director – Sustainability at The R&A said, “We are delighted to be supporting the Golf Environment Awards and celebrating the success of initiatives which have sustainability in golf as a primary consideration.”

STRI is also indebted to its existing sponsors – Ransomes Jacobson, Farmura, Syngenta, Tillers Turf and Wiedenmann and would like to thank them for their continued support. The R&A’s involvement in the GEA Awards does not constitute or imply its endorsement for the sponsor’s products or services.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

More Evidence Neonics Inhibit Social Behaviour

The R&A To Partner Golf Environment Awards

More Evidence Neonics Inhibit Social Behaviour

The R&A To Partner Golf Environment Awards

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

More Evidence Neonics Inhibit Social Behaviour

The R&A To Partner Golf Environment Awards

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