Identification of native pollinators for increasing berry production in northern climate

北方之光酒庄（NLEW）位于乔治王子城，是不列颠哥伦比亚省最北方的酒庄。NLEW生产各种果酒和混合酒，主要使用现场和当地生产的浆果和水果，包括蓝莓，草莓，haskap，醋栗，苹果，樱桃，乌藨子，黑醋栗和大黄。NLEW已与新喀里多尼亚学院（CNC）进行了一项新的研究合作，以确定两个果园地点存在的本地传粉者，其数量和丰富程度。本研究预计将产生以下几项研究成果：（i）识别与几种早花作物物种（例如苹果、haskap、黑醋栗、萨斯卡通和乌藨子）相关的本地传粉者，（ii）由延时照相机拍摄的传粉者活动的图像，（iii）在特定花上的着陆时间与天气属性之间的关系，及（iv）改善本地传粉者生境的建议。参与计划的CNC学生将获得以下领域的体验学习经验：（i）本地传粉者用于工业食品生产，（ii）昆虫和植物识别，以及（iii）高分辨率图像记录和数据分析。

Northern Lights Estate Winery (NLEW) is located in Prince George and it is British Columbia's most northern winery. NLEW produces a variety of fruit wines and blends using berries and fruits primarily produced on site and locally, including blueberry, strawberry, haskap, gooseberry, apple, cherry, raspberry, black currant, and rhubarb. NLEW has contacted the College of New Caledonia (CNC) for a new research collaboration to identify native pollinators existing in the two orchard site locations, their abundance and richness. Several research outcomes are expected from this study: (i) identify native pollinators associated with several early flowering crop species such as apple, haskap, black currant, saskatoon, and raspberry, (ii) imagery of pollinators' activity taken by time-lapse cameras, (iii) relationship between landing times on specific flowers and weather attributes, and (iv) recommendations on improving native pollinators' habitats.CNC students participating in the project will gain experiential learning experience in areas of (i) native pollinators for industrial food production, (ii) insect and plant ID, and (iii) high resolution imagery recording and data analysis.