Search Results (27)

The sustainability of apiculture within Mediterranean forest ecosystems is contingent upon the extent and health of melliferous tree habitats. This study outlines a five-year initiative (2020–2024) aimed at mapping and monitoring four principal honey-producing tree species—pine (Pinus halepensis and Pinus nigra), Greek fir (Abies cephalonica), oak (Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis), and chestnut (Castanea sativa)—across Evia, Greece. This is achieved through the utilization of high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite imagery in conjunction with a hierarchical deep learning framework. Distinct from prior vegetation mapping endeavors, this research introduces an innovative application of a hierarchical framework for species-level semantic segmentation of apicultural flora, employing a U-Net convolutional neural network to capture fine-scale spatial and temporal dynamics. The proposed framework first stratifies forests into broadleaf and coniferous types using Copernicus DLT data, and subsequently applies two specialized U-Net models trained on Sentinel-2 NDVI time series and DEM-derived topographic variables to (i) discriminate pine from fir within coniferous forests and (ii) distinguish oak from chestnut within broadleaf stands. This hierarchical decomposition reduces spectral confusion among structurally similar species and enables fine-scale semantic segmentation of apicultural flora. Our hierarchical framework achieves 92.1% overall accuracy, significantly outperforming traditional multiclass approaches (89.5%) and classical ML methods (76.9%). The results demonstrate the framework’s efficacy in accurately delineating species distributions, quantifying the ecological and economic impacts of the catastrophic 2021 forest fires, and projecting long-term habitat recovery trajectories. The integration of a novel hierarchical approach with Deep Learning-driven monitoring of climate- and disturbance-driven changes in honey-producing habitats marks a significant step towards more effective assessment and management of four major beekeeping tree species. These findings highlight the significance of such methodologies in guiding conservation, restoration, and adaptive management strategies, ultimately supporting resilient apiculture and safeguarding ecosystem services in fire-prone Mediterranean landscapes. Full article

The quality and authenticity of honey are of crucial importance for food safety and consumer confidence. Given the increasing interest in enriched honey and potential fraud, rapid and non-destructive analytical methods for quality assessment, such as Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), are needed. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the applicability of NIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometric methods to assess the quality change in honey from three different countries, after addition of five different aromatic plants (lavender, rosemary, oregano, sage, and white pine oil) in three different concentrations (0.5%, 0.8% and 1%). Measurements of basic physicochemical properties, color, antioxidant activity, and NIR spectra were performed for all samples (pure honey and honey with added aromatic plants). Chemometric models, such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression, were applied to analyze spectral data, correlate spectra with physicochemical properties, color and antioxidant activity measurements, and develop classification and prediction models. Spectral changes in the NIR region, as expected, showed the ability to distinguish samples depending on the type and concentration of added aromatic plants. Chemometric models enabled efficient discrimination between pure and enriched honey samples, as well as assessment of the influence of different additives on antioxidant activity and color. The results highlight the potential of NIRS as a rapid, non-destructive and environmentally friendly method for quality monitoring and detection of specific additives in honey, offering technical support for quality control and food safety regulation. Full article

Essential oils have been utilized in the health, learning/memory, and agricultural fields, but not much is known about the biological activity of their individual components. Terpinyl acetate is a p-menthane monoterpenoid commonly found in cardamom, pine, cajeput, pine needle, and other essential oils. Using a cell culture model system, we found that terpinyl acetate is a potent and specific inhibitor of mitochondrial ATP production, suggesting it might function as a plant toxin. Remarkably, however, terpinyl acetate was not cytotoxic because cells switched to glycolysis to maintain ATP levels. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that terpinyl acetate might be employed to benefit plant survival by modulating metabolism/behavior of plant pollinators such as the honey bee. This hypothesis was tested by investigating terpinyl acetate’s effect on honey bee foraging. Free-flying honey bee flower color choice was recorded when visiting a blue-white dimorphic artificial flower patch of 36 flowers. The nectar–reward difference between flower colors was varied in a manner in which both learning and reversal learning could be measured. Terpinyl acetate ingestion disrupted reversal learning but not initial learning: this change caused bees to remain faithful to a flower color longer than was energetically optimal. Full article

This study quantifies the market values, or implicit prices, of honey quality features (e.g., organic and origin information, package-related features) and floral varieties for supporting beekeepers in differentiating their products to escape from price competition characterizing the Italian honey market. The research employed a sample of sales data, 660 observations collected from the Italian market, and a hedonic price model, estimated via Ordinary Least Squares, to assess the implicit prices of honey characteristics. A high premium price was recorded for honey with added royal jelly and propolis, as well as for “100% Italian” honey. In contrast, moderate price premiums were recorded for Protected Designation of Origin and organic honey. Furthermore, the floral varieties used largely affected the product price: the highest premium prices were estimated for the Manuka, Kanuka, and Tawari floral varieties. Price premiums above +50% were estimated for floral varieties such as Strawberry tree, Pine, Cistus, Tree of Heaven, Sainfoin, Marruca, and Solidago. Results suggest that honey quality features and some floral varieties can effectively differentiate products, supporting beekeepers to achieve higher revenues. This study offers empirical evidence of the extent to which floral varieties and other product characteristics affect the market price of honey using a dataset of secondary data, with the aim to support producers to improve their competitive position in the market. Full article

The increasing prevalence of monocultures has reduced floral diversity, diminishing pollen diet variety for bees. This study examines the impact of monofloral pollen diets (hazel, rapeseed, pine, buckwheat, Phacelia, goldenrod) on the antioxidant enzyme activities in the fat body from tergite 3, tergite 5, sternite, and hemolymph of honey bees. We show that pollen from plants such as rapeseed, Phacelia, buckwheat, and goldenrod (rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids) increases the activities of SOD, CAT, GST, and GPx in the fat body and hemolymph compared to the control group. Although it is commonly known that a monodiet is one of the stress factors for bees, the increase in the activities of these enzymes in the hemolymph and fat body of workers fed with pollen candy compared to those fed only sugar candy has a positive (although inconclusive) effect. These activities in the hemolymph and fat body of bees fed with pollen from anemophilous plants are usually lower compared to those in bees fed with candy containing 10% pollen from rapeseed, Phacelia, buckwheat, or goldenrod. Further research is needed to fully understand the complex interactions among monofloral pollen diets, antioxidant enzyme activities, and the overall physiology of honey bees. Full article

Preserving the nutritional value of honey without compromising its properties until consumption is crucial. However, different types of honey may respond differently to packaging and storage conditions. This study aimed to assess the effects of different packaging materials (tin cans, light-colored glass jars, and dark-colored glass jars) and storage durations (initial, 6 months, and 12 months) on the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of pine, flower, and thyme honey. Nine samples were collected to conduct study on the three different types of honey. Honey samples were packaged in these materials and analyzed at the start, after 6 months, and after 12 months. The results showed that the moisture, proline content, sugar, total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) levels were unaffected by honey type. Over time, there was a decrease in moisture, pH, proline content, diastase number, sugar, total phenolic content (TPC), total antioxidant status (TAS), and catalase activity, alongside an increase in the electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), free acidity, TOS, and OSI levels. The packaging type did not influence the moisture, pH, electrical conductivity, proline content, diastase number, sugar, HMF, TPC, TAS, TOS, OSI, or catalase activity levels. The findings suggest that storing pine, flower, and thyme honey in light- or dark-colored glass jars or tin cans for 12 months does not significantly impact these properties. However, given the reduction in TPC and TAS across all honey types and packaging methods after 12 months, further studies are needed to explore ways to maintain honey quality in this regard. Full article

Agroforestry practices evolve with the development of basic and advanced facilities, changes in natural and artificial factors of land, and land use trade-offs. This study aims to examine the farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics and perception of land use changes that define optimal agroforestry practices in Khost Province, Afghanistan. Data were collected from 662 farmers and analyzed using univariate Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). The results found that forest and vegetable products, including fruits, berries, herbs, mushrooms, wild animals, oils, wood, honey, okra, eggplant, carrot, cucumber, pine nuts, pepper, and timber, have different impacts in terms of satisfaction with basic and advanced facilities, knowledge of land use changes, satisfaction with natural and artificial resources of land, and barriers to and economic benefits of land use. The limitations of this study included an absence of exogenous factors in the model such as climate change, financial conditions, market fluctuations, regulatory system, the area in which this study is selected, research design, and current condition of endogenous factors. Overall, this study defined a set of optimal agroforestry practices (expressed as crops and products) based on the farmers’ perception of land use changes in Khost Province, Afghanistan. This study provided useful insights for policymakers and development practitioners to promote agroforestry practice adoption and improve the socioeconomic development of agroforestry-dependent communities. Future works could explore the implications of agroforestry practices on the socioeconomic development of other dependent communities in Afghanistan. Full article

Analysis of the scented components of the art installation House of Hope by Montien Boonma, including eight bags of unlabeled or poorly labeled powder and five strands of aromatic beads, was completed to facilitate its display at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Though an olfactory experience is central to the piece, limited information was available concerning the origin of the object’s scent. Identification of the aromas from the powders and beads, some of which were nearly 30 years old, was accomplished through visual assessment, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and static headspace solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GCMS) and confirmed using controls. Challenges included spices that had lost some of their potency or become cross-contaminated. The contents of five of the eight bags of powder were successfully identified as black pepper (two bags), clove, turmeric, and white sandalwood (Santalum album). All beads contained nutmeg, peppermint, ginger, and turmeric, while licorice root, thyme, cardamom, and clove were noted in some. The beads were bound using pine honey, a unique type of honey produced by bees that feed on aphid excretions. Identifying the scented components informs current and future installations so that the artist’s original intent is more closely approximated. Full article

Honey is well known for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which significantly contribute to its high demand among consumers. While there is plenty of information available about the antioxidant potential of honey, there is still a lack of research specifically focused on monofloral honeys, as most studies have been based on market samples. To address this issue, in the present study we analyzed the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of nine monofloral honey types produced in Greece: fir, chestnut, citrus, erica, cotton, Jerusalem thorn, pine, oak and thyme, in comparison with manuka honey. The samples were collected from beekeepers applying the appropriate beekeeping practices. In total, ninety-six representative monofloral honey samples meeting the microscopic, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics were analyzed. Oak honey stood out as the darkest type (L* = 33.67) with the highest total phenolic content (203.75 mg GAE/100 g) and antioxidant activity (106.2 mg AAE/100 g). Chestnut honey closely followed, having also the highest electrical conductivity (1.679 mS/cm). Although manuka honey had a high total phenolic content, its total antioxidant activity was found to be medium-low compared to fir, pine, and erica honeys. Citrus honey, being the lightest in color (L* = 37.2), exhibited the lowest total antioxidant activity (6.36 mg AAE/100 g). Statistical analysis revealed significant positive correlation between total antioxidant activity and electrical conductivity (r_a-e = 0.587, p_a-e = 0.000), and negative correlation between total antioxidant activity and L* parameter (r_a-L = −0.424, p_a-L = 0.000). Similar correlations were also observed regarding total phenolic content (r_p-e = 0.457, p_p-e = 0.000, r_p-L = −0.455, p_p-L = 0.000). In conclusion, oak and chestnut honeys seem to have a high antioxidant potential, that should be further explored, to highlight their value and help promote them worldwide. Full article

With the wide availability of remotely sensed data from various sensors, fusion-based tree species classification approaches have emerged as a prominent and ongoing research topic. However, most recent studies primarily focused on combining multisource data at the feature level, while few systematically examined their positive or negative contributions to tree species classification. This study aimed to investigate fusion approaches at the feature and decision levels deployed with support vector machine and random forest algorithms to classify five dominant tree species: Norway maple, honey locust, Austrian pine, white spruce, and blue spruce in individual crowns. Spectral, textural, and structural features derived from multispectral imagery (MSI), a very high-resolution panchromatic image (PAN), and LiDAR data were systematically exploited to assess their contributions to accurate classifications. Among the various classification schemes that were explored, both feature- and decision-level fusion approaches demonstrated significant improvements in tree species classification compared with the utilization of MSI (0.7), PAN (0.74), or LiDAR (0.8) in isolation. Notably, the decision-level fusion approach achieved the highest overall accuracies (0.86 for SVM and 0.84 for RF) and kappa coefficients (0.82 for SVM and 0.79 for RF). The misclassification analysis of fusion approaches highlighted the potential and flexibility of decision-level fusion in tree species classification. Full article

Stingless bee honey (SBH) is a natural, sweet product produced by stingless bees (Meliponini tribe) that has been used as a traditional medicine to treat various illnesses. It has been shown that SBH has high nutritional value and health-promoting properties due to the presence of plant bioactive compounds from different botanical flora of the foraged nectar. In this study, the antioxidant activities of seven monofloral honeys from acacia, agarwood, coconut, dwarf mountain pine (DMP), Mexican creeper (MC), rubber, and starfruit botanical origins were investigated. The antioxidant properties of SBH studied had a range from 19.7 to 31.4 mM TE/mg for DPPH assays, 16.1 to 29.9 mM TE/mg for ABTS assays, 69.0 to 167.6 mM TE/mg for ORAC assays, and 45.5 to 89.3 mM Fe²⁺/mg for FRAP assays. Acacia honey showed the highest level of antioxidant properties. The models built from mass spectral fingerprints from direct ambient mass spectrometry showed distinct clusters of SBH by botanical origin and correlated with the antioxidant properties. An untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) metabolomics approach was undertaken to identify the antioxidant compounds that could explain the unique antioxidant and compositional profiles of the monofloral SBH by its botanical origin. The antioxidants that were identified predominantly consisted of alkaloids and flavonoids. Flavonoid derivatives, which are potent antioxidants, were found to be key markers of acacia honey. This work provides the fundamental basis for the identification of potential antioxidant markers in SBH associated with the botanical origin of the foraged nectar. Full article

Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae), an endemic species in Greece and Turkey, is a major contributor to the annual honey production in its native range. However, in the areas that it invades, lacking natural enemies, it has detrimental effects on pine trees and potentially contributes to tree mortality. Although it was originally reported as thelytokous, males were later reported in Turkey and on several of the islands of Greece. To further disambiguate the exact parthenogenetic reproduction strategy of M. hellenica, we studied the emergence pattern of male individuals in Greece for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022). Furthermore, we examined the genetic variation among 15 geographically distant populations of M. hellenica in Greece using a mitochondrial DNA marker and compared the results with data from Turkey. The findings of this study document the existence of an additional M. hellenica population in its native range that repeatedly produces males, apart from the areas of Greece and Turkey in which they were initially reported, suggesting that males play a major, so far unknown role in the reproduction of this species. The populations in Greece and Turkey exhibited a strong genetic affinity, while human-aided dispersal seems to have obscured the genetic pattern acquired. Full article

There is an ongoing search for alternative treatments for Clostridioides difficile infections. The aim of the study was to investigate the antibacterial and antibiotic activity of bee products against C. difficile strains with different polymerase chain reaction ribotypes (RTs). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MICs) of Manuka honey 550+, goldenrod honey, pine honey, and bee bread were determined by the broth dilution method. C. difficile adhesion to HT-29, HT-29 MTX, and CCD 841 CoN cell lines was assessed. Biofilm was cultured in titration plates and visualized by confocal microscopy. The MICs of Manuka honey for C. difficile 630 and ATCC 9689 strains and control strain, M 120, were 6.25%, 6.25%, and 1.56% (v/v), respectively; of goldenrod honey, 50%, 50%, and 12.5%, respectively; of pine honey, 25%, 25%, and 25%, respectively; and of bee bread, 100 mg/L, 50 mg/L, and 100 mg/L, respectively. Manuka honey (1%) increased adhesion of C. difficile RT176 strains, and one strain of RT023, to the CCD 841 cell line. Pine honey (1%) increased RT027 adhesion to the HT-29 cell line. Manuka honey, pine honey, and bee bread at subinhibitory concentrations increased the adhesion of C. difficile. Our research proved that bee products are active against the tested strains of C. difficile. Full article

Research on the Arthropoda distribution in temperate forest ecosystems has shown that communities are distributed vertically in unequal numbers. However, this issue still has research gaps in relation to the vertical stratification of Coleoptera in pine forests of the temperate zone. This study was conducted in the Republic of Mordovia situated in central part of European Russia. We used fermental traps to collect Coleoptera (the bait is fermenting beer with sugar and honey). The sampling was conducted from May to September 2021 in five sites of pine forests. One hundred and twenty-five species from 36 families were identified. The highest species richness was found in Nitidulidae and Cerambycidae (19 species each), Elateridae (13), Curculionidae (7) and Scarabaeidae (6). The highest number of species (84 species) was obtained at the height of 1.5 m, while the smallest species richness (44 species) was found at the height of 12.0 m. At the height of 12 m, we also registered the minimum number of specimens. Twenty-four species from 11 families were common to all the heights studied. Cryptarcha strigata and Glischrochilus grandis preferred heights of 3 and 1.5 m. Cryptarcha undata and Protaetia marmorata were more common at a height of 7 m with a frequency of 61.4–79.6% and 68.2–79.6%, respectively. The absolute number of saproxyl and anthophilic beetle species was higher in the ground layer and at the undergrowth level. These studies expand our understanding of the vertical distribution of beetles in pine forests of the temperate zone of European Russia. Full article

Honey is a highly consumed commodity due to its potential health benefits upon certain consumption, resulting in a high market price. This fact indicates the need to protect honey from fraudulent acts by delivering comprehensive analytical methodologies. In this study, targeted, suspect and non-targeted metabolomic workflows were applied to identify botanical origin markers of Greek honey. Blossom honey samples (n = 62) and the unifloral fir (n = 10), oak (n = 24), pine (n = 39) and thyme (n = 34) honeys were analyzed using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-q-TOF-MS) system. Several potential authenticity markers were revealed from the application of different metabolomic workflows. In detail, based on quantitative targeted analysis, three blossom honey markers were found, namely, galangin, pinocembrin and chrysin, while gallic acid concentration was found to be significantly higher in oak honey. Using suspect screening workflow, 12 additional bioactive compounds were identified and semi-quantified, achieving comprehensive metabolomic honey characterization. Lastly, by combining non-targeted screening with advanced chemometrics, it was possible to discriminate thyme from blossom honey and develop binary discriminatory models with high predictive power. In conclusion, a holistic approach to assessing the botanical origin of Greek honey is presented, highlighting the complementarity of the three applied metabolomic approaches. Full article