ProPollSoil
Understanding and Managing Soil Health Impacts to Protect Soil‑Dependent Pollinators
... is a Horizon Europe–funded research project that places soil as part of pollinator conservation
Pollinators are often imagined as honeybees living in hives, but this familiar image represents only a small fraction of pollinator diversity. In reality, most bee species are solitary and ground‑nesting, with around 75% nesting in soil, where they build nests, rear offspring, and often overwinter. Despite their low visibility, these species play a crucial role in sustaining plant reproduction and crop production worldwide.
ProPollSoil shifts attention from hives to soil, recognizing soil not as a passive background but as a key habitat that shapes pollinator diversity, behavior, and survival—and, in turn, is shaped by pollinator activity. By focusing on soil health, land management, and belowground processes, the project highlights a hidden but essential dimension of pollination ecosystems.
Research Focus
Our project investigates interactions between soil properties and ground‑nesting pollinators, with particular attention to:
how pollinators select nesting sites under different soil conditions
how underground burrow structure interacts with soil texture, moisture, and chemistry
how land management practices influence soil suitability for nesting
By integrating soil health into pollinator research, this project contributes to more holistic and effective strategies for biodiversity conservation and sustainable soil management.
Project Leader: Mohsen Zare and Sara Leonhardt
Team: Enkhzaya Amarjargal
Duration: 2026-2029
Project Grant ID: 101219108