Methods for Assessing the Ecosystem Service of Honey Provisioning by the European Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera L.): A Systematic Review

Ildikó Arany () and Bálint Czúcz ()
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Ildikó Arany: HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, Karolina Str. 29, H-1113 Budapest, Hungary
Bálint Czúcz: Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), 7485 Trondheim, Norway

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-23

Abstract: Honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.) provide several valuable ecosystem services, including honey provisioning. While pollination by honey bees is well-studied, the scientific assessment of honey-provisioning capacity (HPC) has received less attention. In this study, we performed a qualitative systematic review (critical interpretive synthesis) to identify the main types of models that can be used to map and assess honey provision as an ecosystem service, together with the background and implications of the use of these methodological approaches in the scientific literature (WOS, Scopus, search date: 5 July 2022. resulting in an initial pool of 281 studies). From the initial list, we retained only those studies that presented concrete case studies modelling the capacity of specific sites, landscapes or regions for provisioning honey by A. mellifera (17 studies). We identified three main model types in the reviewed studies: (A) simple rule-based models (“matrix” models), (B) extended rule-based models (incorporating bee foraging-range simulations), and (C) predictive statistical models. The vast majority of studies used rule-based approaches, with varying levels of complexity in their input data and output metrics. Key decision points in the modeling process, including the treatment of seasonality, spatial variability in floral resources, and bee foraging behavior, were identified. We also identified possible sources of methodological uncertainties and suggested potential approaches by which to improve the accuracy and robustness of HPC assessments. Our findings underscore the need for more standardized methodologies, transparent documentation, and integration of local beekeeping knowledge to advance scientific understanding and the practical application of HPC assessments. Furthermore, our experiences also suggest that critical interpretive synthesis has a wide range of applicability in the study of ecosystem services, with great potential for advancing the interoperability of assessment methodologies.

Keywords: honey bee; floral resource; bee pasture; ecosystem service model; potential supply; human input; critical interpretive synthesis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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