# New Mathematics for Pollinator Decline: From Colony Dynamics to Sustainable Agroecosystems

> **NSF 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Arizona State University (AZ) · $468,704

## Abstract

Bees and other pollinators are essential to healthy ecosystems and food security, yet they are declining at alarming rates. A 2025 study found that over 22% of North American pollinator species now face an elevated risk of extinction, and United States beekeepers lost over 60% of their honeybee colonies in the past year alone, representing more than $600 million in economic losses, jeopardizing the sustainability of an industry critical to food production. Because pollinating insects contribute over $15 billion annually to North American agriculture, their continued decline poses a serious threat to food security, farm economies, and biodiversity. This project addresses pollinator declines by developing new mathematical and artificial-intelligence-based tools to predict how interacting threats (such as disease, pesticides, habitat loss, and other environmental pressures) combine to harm pollinator communities and to identify effective strategies for protecting them. Rather than studying these threats in isolation, the research links what happens inside a single colony to broader patterns across farming landscapes, combining mathematical rigor with artificial intelligence to address one of the most pressing ecological and agricultural challenges of our time. The project's tools and findings will be made freely available to researchers, growers, beekeepers, and other stakeholders. It will also train undergraduate and graduate students through integrated cross-disciplinary ment

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2602341
- **Awardee organization:** Arizona State University (AZ)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NTLHJXM55KZ6
- **PI:** Yun Kang
- **Primary program:** 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning Theory
- **Estimated total:** $468,704
- **Funds obligated:** $468,704
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 06/15/2026 → 05/31/2029

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2602341

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2602341, New Mathematics for Pollinator Decline: From Colony Dynamics to Sustainable Agroecosystems. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2602341. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NSF Awards dataset](/datasets/nsf-awards) · CC0 1.0*