Study of the trends in honey productivity and honey bee mortality under hydrothermal conditions in Eastern Bulgaria during the period 2008-2020

Abstract

In recent decades, many studies have focused on climate change and its impact on the agricultural sector. With their activity, honey bees not only have a significant impact on the yields of agricultural crops but also give us one of the most unique foods on earth - honey. In this study, data on honey production and honey bee mortality, published for the free access in the reports of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Bulgaria, were analyzed. Using the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test, the significance and direction of trends in eastern Bulgaria for the period 2008-2020 were assessed. No significant trends were found in honey yields for this period. There is a negative significant trend in honey bee mortality for the whole country, a positive trend in losses from pesticides and diseases in the Southeast region, and a significant decrease in winter mortality. Also, the authors explore the hypothesis that the influence of temperature and precipitation on honey yields can be indicated by hydrothermal indices. In this case, moderate, negative correlations were observed between the annual value of the Ped index and yields in the two studied areas.