Pollinator Ecotoxicology and Environmental Risk Assessment
I have been conducting ecotoxicological studies with insect pollinators since 2004. My laboratory studies contributed to demonstrate that different bee species have different sensitivity to single pesticides and pesticide mixtures underscoring the need to include bee species other than honeybee in pesticide risk assessment schemes (Arena and Sgolastra 2014; Sgolastra et al. 2019). In my research team we also studied the interactions between fungicides and neonicotinoids, a group of insecticides allegedly implicated in the widespread bee declines. We found that these combinations synergistically decrease bee survival, even when bees are exposed to very low (field-realistic) concentrations (Sgolastra et al. 2017; Sgolastra et al. 2018). We investigated lethal and sublethal (thermoregulation capacity, hypopharyngeal gland development, ovary maturation, food consumption, immune capacity) effects of pesticides also in combination with other stressors (temperature and nutrition), providing suggestions how environmental risk assessment should be improved (Sgolastra et al. 2020). Currently, we are expanding our studies to other insect pollinators by assessing the sensitivity of some Diptera pollinators to pesticides.
Pollination Ecology and agroecology
I am interested to study the ecology of plant-pollinator interactions at the community level and to identify and disseminate strategies to enhance pollination service in agroecosystems. Our studies aim to assess the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on seasonal and daily activities of flower-visiting insects (Sgolastra et al. 2016) and to assess their efficiency as pollinators of wild plants (Fisogni et al. 2016) and crops (Bosch et al. 2021). We are also strongly involved in the dissemination of best management practices to conciliate pest management with protection of pollinators in the agro-ecosystems. On this topic we have participated in the develop of a serious game as new teaching tool to foster agroecology learning (Jouan et al. 2021) and in the preparation of handbooks of pollinator-friendly practices for farmers (https://www.life4pollinators.eu/en/downloads; https://www.informamiele.it/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/depliant-Tossicita%CC%80-delle-sostanze-attive-impiegate-in-agricoltura-nei-confronti-delle-api.pdf).
Managing and rearing alternative pollinator insects
During my PhD, I studied the effects of temperature on life cycle phenology and diapause development in species of the genus Osmia under an ecophysiological perspective (Sgolastra et al. 2010; Sgolastra et al. 2012). This allowed me to contribute on the development of rearing and management methods for Osmia spp. as commercial crop pollinators (Bosch et al. 2008).
Bee health and Planet Health
“Healthy bees in a healthy planet” is my motto. There is a strong relationship between bees and the environment where they live for this reason bees can be considered as a thermometer of the health of the planet. Our research aims to assess the health of bees at large spatial scale and to identify their main stressors (Porrini et al. 2016). At the same time, we use bees as bioindicators of the presence of environmental pollutans (Sgolastra et al. 2020). Our aspiration is to make our planet more sustainable for bees and for humans.
