The new pollination ecology workgroup

The new pollination ecology workgroup integrates the best knowledge about the relationships between plants and pollinators 

This academic year marks the beginning of a new working group that connects botanists and zoologists. The group led by Dr. Tsipe Aavik explores different aspects of interactions between plants and pollinating insects, conducts research at multiple spatial scales and uses a variety of research methods. 

The overarching aim of the pollination ecology workgroup is to understand how plant and insect populations, communities and plant-pollinator interaction networks respond to the loss and isolation of natural and semi-natural habitats. This knowledge is vital for predicting the future of ecosystems in the context of ongoing environmental change and for designing effective conservation and restoration measures. The main research topics of the group encompass plant-pollinator networks, genetic patterns of plants and pollination-related plant traits in ecosystems, which have experienced recent shifts in landscape structure and land use intensity. 

“In our group, we explore who interacts with whom—specifically, which pollinators visit which plant species, and what factors influence these relationship networks. We also continue landscape genetic studies to understand the genetic patterns of plants, which in insect-pollinated plants are largely shaped by pollinators. Emphasis is put on research on pollinators in Estonian agricultural landscapes, including the factors that affect their community composition and distribution, and the consequences for the well-being of wild plant species. Of course, we will also address the broader conservation context of the observed patterns,” says Tsipe Aavik about the group’s goals. “Citizen science will play an important role in the group—most of us have extensive experience with the cowslip campaign, which is very valuable for planning future research activities.” 

More information about the pollination ecology workgroup can be found on their website and in articles (both in Estonian) published in the university’s journal Universitas Tartuensis in August, titled “In the Footsteps of Charles Darwin with the Help of Citizen Scientists” (in Estonian) and “Report: A Paradise for Naturalists in Western Estonia” (in Estonian). 

Active students and postdoctoral researchers interested in joining the working group can contact them via email or phone.