Bee pollination and bee decline: A study about university students’ Knowledge and its educational implication

Science education plays a crucial role in addressing the pollinator crisis by enhancing knowledge and fostering changes in attitudes toward this environmental challenge. Previous research has been focused on validating a specific instrument related to this subject, although its use for assessing students' knowledge has been little explored. In the present study, we have evaluated the level of awareness regarding the significance of bees as primary pollinators among students of various disciplines at the Universities of Sevilla, in Spain, and Ouro Preto, in Brazil, emphasizing the importance of the plant-bee interaction. 753 students from the fields of biology, agriculture, and education were invited to complete a questionnaire focused on bee biology. The results indicate that knowledge on the subject is closely linked to professional career choice and that the training program for the future teachers effectively increased comprehension of the crucial role played by bees as main supporters of the ecosystem service of pollination.