Pollen meta-barcoding reveals foraging preferences of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) along space-time gradient in Japan

The present study aimed to determine the floral preferences of A. mellifera to promote biodiversity through integrated urban greening projects. To achieve this aim, the taxonomy of pollen foraged by honeybees was identified over the seasons along an urban-rural gradient from different locations in the Kanto region, Tokyo, and its surroundings in Japan. The research questions addressed were as follows: (i) How does the composition of the foraged flower community (and the foraged plant traits) vary according to an urban-rural gradient? (ii) How does the composition of foraged flower communities (and foraged plant traits) vary according to the course of the seasons? Lastly, the pollen availability of plant taxa composition foraged by honeybees was evaluated.