lnsektenmonitoring in Arznei- und Gewurzpflanzenkulturen - Netzwerke fur Menschen und lnsekten schaffen

The pollination ecology of most medicinal and spice plant species is still largely unknown. Few scientific studies exist regarding which insects visit the individual plant species, their contribution to pollination, and their influence on yield and quality. Consequently, only a few well-founded statements can be made about the ecosystem services provided by medicinal and spice plant fields, and thus the benefits of these species-rich sandy crops for the ecosystem cannot be quantified or specifically integrated into marketing strategies. To close these knowledge gaps, three different research projects are currently engaged in extensive insect monitoring activities and are developing important baseline data on insects visiting medicinal and spice plant fields.