Evaluation of the Pollination Ecosystem Service of the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Based on a Beekeeping Model in Hungary

Abstract

Apiaries must be ecologically and economically sustainable to provide pollination as a unique ecosystem service. Pollination as an ecosystem service is economically, socially, and environmentally irreplaceable. Therefore, it is essential to improve the profitability of beekeeping activities, which are mainly carried out in rural areas. With this in mind, the main objective of this article is to assess pollination as one of the ecosystem services provided by bees, based on the specificities of Hungarian honey production. The authors’ analysis is based on a Hungarian apiary with 300 colonies active in migratory beekeeping. The model farm produces a wide variety of honey thanks to its migratory beekeeping, visiting several bee pastures during the beekeeping season. This paper presents an approach to quantify the ecosystem services provided by honey bees (Apis mellifera) using two economic valuation methods (productivity change and surrogate market goods) belonging to the family of cost-based valuation. The results of the monetary valuation of the ecosystem services provided by bees can provide a starting point for further research to help decision-makers and farmers to calculate a fair “pollination fee” for beekeepers, which will significantly help beekeepers to maintain beekeeping, an important and beneficial activity for all of us.

“What’s Good for the Bees Will Be Good for Us!”—A Qualitative Study of the Factors Influencing Beekeeping Activity

“…The pollination function of beekeeping is now economically crucial in all agricultural systems and has been evaluated in several studies, e.g., [6,[53][54][55][56]. From the beekeepers' perspective, honey production and commercial pollination services can be complementary, as the former tends to dominate in summer and the latter in spring [57].…”

“…It is also valuable for the livelihoods of beekeepers, rural development and the global economy [3]. Pollination by bees is critical to the quantity and quality of fruit, nuts, oilseeds and other crops [4][5][6]. Animal pollination improves global crop yields by an additional USD 235-577 billion per year, with the most significant economic benefits in the Mediterranean region, South and East Asia and Europe [7].…”

Bee pasture as a buffer against flower-mediated disease transmission

“…Pollinators, such as bees, play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of various ecosystems by facilitating the reproduction of flowering plants. The ecological services rendered by bees are indispensable for biodiversity maintenance and serve as a vital factor in providing food source for numerous animal species [1][2][3][4].…”

“…Pollinators, such as bees, play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance of various ecosystems by facilitating the reproduction of flowering plants. The ecological services rendered by bees are indispensable for biodiversity maintenance and serve as a vital factor in providing food source for numerous animal species [1–4]. In agriculture, bees provide invaluable pollination services, essential for the cultivation of various crops, including high-value ones like apple, coconut, coffee, cucurbits, mangoes, sunflower, among others [5, 6].…”