SINGAPORE - Bees are the most important pollinator, playing a crucial role in producing the succulent fruits and vegetables that feed the people, yet little is known about their species distribution and hot spots outside of North America, Europe and Australia.
The new map - built from hundreds of thousands of bee records and specimens from around the world, and almost six million records from public databases that were filtered for inaccuracies - revealed numerous gaping holes in currently known patterns about bee diversity. The other researchers involved in the project are from China, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Their research paper containing the map was published in scientific journal Current Biology on Friday .
Prof Ascher said:"The bees make a strong counter argument against the tropics being the epicentre of diversity. "The desert may have far fewer flowers than in Singapore. But when the rain comes the whole desert can be carpeted in flowers. And then, bees will come out in incredible numbers," he added. Moving forward, the researchers hope that the bee map will serve as a springboard for experts to zero in on a particular region, and conduct more in-depth studies on the insects.
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