Contact Information

USDA-ARS
Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystem Research Unit
141 Experiment Station Road
P.O. Box 346
Stoneville, MS 38776
Ph: (662) 686-5254
Fax: (662) 686-5421

Work Experience

• 2021-Present     USDA-ARS, Pollinator Health in Southern Crop Ecosystem Research Unit
• 2014-2021         Texas A&M University, Graduate Research Assistant, Rangel Lab
• 2013-2014         Cal Poly Pomona, Research Assistant, Leong Lab
• 2011-2013         UC San Diego, Research Assistant, Nieh Lab
• 2011-2011         Cal Poly Pomona Research Assistant, Leong Lab
• 2010-2011         UC San Diego Research Assistant, Shurin Lab

 Organizations and Honors

• International Union for the Study of Social Insects
• American Association of Professional Apiculturists
• Entomological Society of America
• Diversity Fellow, InclusionLabs, 2020
• President, Entomological Graduate Student Organization, 2016
• Secretary, Entomological Graduate Student Organization, 2015

Grants and Fellowships

• Mar. 2021     Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Graduate Student Award ($500)
• Mar. 2020     USDA NIFA Predoctoral fellowship ($103,945)
• Mar. 2020     North American Pollinator Protection Campaign research grant ($10,000)
• Jan. 2020      American Association of Professional Apiculturists Student Research Scholarship ($1,000)
• Dec. 2019      Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees Graduate Student Research Scholarship ($3,750)
• Mar. 2019      Eastern Apicultural Society Research Grant ($6,000)
• Mar. 2019      Prairie Biotic Research Grant ($1,500)
• Nov. 2019      IUSSI La Fage Student Award for Applied Social Insect Research ($500)
• Nov. 2018      Louisiana Beekeepers Association Research Grant ($5,000)
• Oct. 2016       Texas Beekeepers Association Research Grant ($3,000)

Technical Responsibilities

Dr. Pierre Lau is researching ways to enhance pollinator forage habitat in agroecosystems to improve bee health and to maximize bee pollination. The goals of his research are to identify factors for enhancing bee habitat and to improve management strategies based on bee foraging activity.

• Projects

  Ecological Assessment and Mitigation Strategies to Reduce the Risks of Bees to Stressors in Southern Crop Ecosystems In-House Appropriated (D)   Accession Number:436957

  Ecological Assessment and Mitigation Strategies to Reduce the Risks of Bees to Stressors in Southern Crop Ecosystems In-House Appropriated (D)   Accession Number:446336

  Optimizing Macronutrient Contents in the Honey Bee Diet as a Mechanism for Pathogen Defense Interagency Reimbursable Agreement (I)   Accession Number:443649

  Creating a Phenology Wheel for Beekeepers in the Southeast Region Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement (N)   Accession Number:443507

  Pollinator Health and Interactions with Nutrition in Southern Crop Ecosystems Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S)   Accession Number:445645

  Development of a Mass-rearing Honey Bee System Under Controlled Conditions Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S)   Accession Number:439088

• Publications

  • (Clicking on the reprint icon will take you to the publication reprint.)
  • Sustainable Sweetpotato Production in the United States: Current Status, Challenges, and Opportunities -(Review Article)
    George, J., Reddy, G.V., Wadl, P.A., Rutter, W.B., Culbreath, J.R., Lau, P.W., Rashid, T., Allan, M.C., Johanningsmeier, S.D., Nelson, A.M., Wang, M.L., Gubba, A., Ling, K., Meng, Y., Collins, D.J., Ponniah, S.K., Gowda, P.H. 2024. Sustainable Sweetpotato Production in the United States: Current Status, Challenges, and Opportunities. Agronomy Journal. 16,2/630-660. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21539.
    
  • Pollen associated with a Texas population of blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) highlights underappreciated aspects of their biology -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Rangel, J., Lau, P.W., Strauss, B., Hildinger, E., Hernandez, B., Rodriguez, S., Bryant, V., Tarone, A.M. 2023. Pollen associated with a Texas population of blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) highlights underappreciated aspects of their biology. Ecological Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1111/een.13298.
    
  • Editorial: Insect pollinators in the Anthropocene: How multiple environmental stressors are shaping pollinator health -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Lau, P.W., Sgolostra, F., Williams, G., Straub, L. 2023. Editorial: Insect pollinators in the Anthropocene: How multiple environmental stressors are shaping pollinator health. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 11:1279774. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1279774.
    
  • Feeding toxicity of abamectin on honey bees (Apis mellifera)-(Abstract Only)
    
    
  • The nutritional landscape in agroecosystems: A review on how resources and management practices can shape pollinator health in agricultural environments -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Lau, P.W., Esquivel, I.L., Parys, K.A., Hung, J., Chakrabarti, P. 2023. The nutritional landscape in agroecosystems: A review on how resources and management practices can shape pollinator health in agricultural environments. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saad023.
    
  • Extraction and measurement of total lipids in fresh royal jelly samples: Comparison of several methods -(Abstract Only)
    Zhang, W., Ray, A.Z., Tundo, G., Lau, P.W., Zhu, Y. 2023. Extraction and measurement of total lipids in fresh royal jelly samples: Comparison of several methods. American Chemical Society Abstracts. https://doi.org/10.1021/scimeetings.3c10168.
    
  • The microbiome and gene expression of honey bee workers are affected by a diet containing pollen substitutes -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Powell, E.J., Lau, P.W., Rangel, J., Arnott, R., Dejong, T., Moran, N.A. 2023. The microbiome and gene expression of honey bee workers are affected by a diet containing pollen substitutes. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286070.
    
  • Hangry bees: Pollen deprivation affects temper in Pol-line honey bees (Apis mellifera) -(Abstract Only)
    Walsh, E.M., Simone-Finstrom, M., Avalos, A., Ihle, K.E., Lau, P.W. 2023. Hangry bees: Pollen deprivation affects temper in Pol-line honey bees (Apis mellifera). Bee Culture. https://doi.org/10.55406/ABRC.23.
    
  • Assessing pollen nutrient content: a unifying approach for the study of nutritional ecology -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Lau, P.W., Lesne, P., Grebenok, R.J., Rangel, J., Behmer, S.T. 2022. Assessing pollen nutrient content: a unifying approach for the study of nutritional ecology. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5923123.
    
  • The impact of COVID-19 on beekeepers in Texas and Louisiana -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Lau, P.W., Payne, A.N., Khan, O., Buchman, M.B., Rangel, J. 2022. The impact of COVID-19 on beekeepers in Texas and Louisiana. Journal of Apicultural Research. 61(3):309-314. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2022.2051333.
    
  • Honey bee (Apis mellifera) exposure to pesticide residues in nectar and pollen in urban and suburban environments from four regions of the United States -(Peer Reviewed Journal)
    Demares, F.J., Schmehl, D., Bloomquist, J.R., Cabrera, A.R., Huang, Z.Y., Lau, P.W., Ranel, J., Sullivan, J., Xie, X., Ellis, J.D. 2022. Honey bee (Apis mellifera) exposure to pesticide residues in nectar and pollen in urban and suburban environments from four regions of the United States. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5298.
    

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