Preface

Many societies have engaged in beekeeping through the ages. The practice, which began as a purely extractive activity, has become an "art," in which, for many, conservation precedes exploitation. Beekeeping was born at some point in prehistory through the convergence of bees and mankind but, until recently, the vital importance of bees to life on our planet was not widely known. Presently, researchers agree that the extinction of these insects could lead to a drastic decline in food production, affecting the world's population. A scenario without bees―although unknown―is postulated to include catastrophes such as the collapse of the food chain due to insufficient pollination and a landscape no longer colored by the beautiful flowers that adorn our planet. Moreover, many other consequences may occur, but I will let them reside in the reader's imagination.

Nonetheless, because of the importance of bees both from an economic and environmental standpoint, many researchers in various branches of the field seek improvements in the bee‐ keeping process, as well as in the development of consumer products generated from bees. Moreover, due to a growing global concern about the disappearance of bees, either due to diseases or due to the use of pesticides in agricultural crops, research in the field has become increasingly important.

"Beekeeping and Bee Conservation — Advances in Research" presents current issues in the field of bees in multiple contexts and ties together experiments conducted by some of the world's most renowned researchers. The authors' point-of-view and own research results or current review of knowledge are described in a clear and objective way, which is very useful for beginners in the study of the subject and is likewise valuable for the more experienced on the subject, who may find new hypotheses to be tested and broaden their future pros‐ pects in the field.

"Beekeeping and Bee Conservation — Advances in Research" is wide in scope, focusing largely on *Apis mellifera*. Topics range from genetics, to pollination studies, to the preserva‐ tion of bees. It includes a chapter dedicated to stingless bees and another for bumble bees. The main objective of this book is to offer the scientific community an indispensable source of information for research and to assist in further investigations, both in relation to the pro‐ ductive aspects of the beekeeping chain as well as the conservation of bees.

> **Emerson Dechechi Chambó** The Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia Bahia, Brazil
