Experimental evidence that wildflower strips increase pollinator visits to crops.
Experimental evidence that wildflower strips increase pollinator visits to crops.
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DOI：
10.1002/ece3.1444
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发表时间：
2015-08
影响因子：
2.6
通讯作者：
Goulson D
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Feltham H;Park K;Minderman J;Goulson D
野生蜜蜂为种植依赖授粉作物的农民提供了免费和潜在的多样性生态系统服务。虽然许多作物受益于昆虫授粉，但包括草莓在内的软果作物高度依赖这种生态系统服务来生产有活力的水果。然而，由于集约化的农业做法和授粉者数量的减少，农民越来越多地转向商业饲养的蜜蜂，以确保作物在整个季节得到充分的授粉。野花带是一种常用的措施，旨在保护野生传粉者。有人认为，经济作物也可能受益于非作物花卉的存在，然而，播种作物花带的功效和经济效益仍然相对未经研究。在一个研究系统，利用野生和商业授粉，我们测试是否野花带增加访问相邻的商业草莓作物授粉昆虫的数量。我们量化了这一点，通过实验播种野花带约20米远的作物和记录授粉者访问作物的数量，和没有，花带。2013年6月至8月，我们在苏格兰的6个农场进行了292个作物样带的调查，共记录了2826只传粉者。平均而言，授粉者访问的频率是25%，与那些没有相邻的花带相比，作物与野生和商业熊蜂（熊蜂属）的组合。占所有传粉昆虫的67%。这种效应不受其他混杂效应的影响，如作物上的花数、日期和温度。合成与应用。这项研究提供的证据表明，软水果农民可以通过在附近播种廉价的花卉种子混合物来增加访问作物的授粉者的数量。通过对这一管理方案进行投资，农民有可能随着时间的推移增加和维持传粉者的数量。
Wild bees provide a free and potentially diverse ecosystem service to farmers growing pollination-dependent crops. While many crops benefit from insect pollination, soft fruit crops, including strawberries are highly dependent on this ecosystem service to produce viable fruit. However, as a result of intensive farming practices and declining pollinator populations, farmers are increasingly turning to commercially reared bees to ensure that crops are adequately pollinated throughout the season. Wildflower strips are a commonly used measure aimed at the conservation of wild pollinators. It has been suggested that commercial crops may also benefit from the presence of noncrop flowers; however, the efficacy and economic benefits of sowing flower strips for crops remain relatively unstudied. In a study system that utilizes both wild and commercial pollinators, we test whether wildflower strips increase the number of visits to adjacent commercial strawberry crops by pollinating insects. We quantified this by experimentally sowing wildflower strips approximately 20 meters away from the crop and recording the number of pollinator visits to crops with, and without, flower strips. Between June and August 2013, we walked 292 crop transects at six farms in Scotland, recording a total of 2826 pollinators. On average, the frequency of pollinator visits was 25% higher for crops with adjacent flower strips compared to those without, with a combination of wild and commercial bumblebees (Bombus spp.) accounting for 67% of all pollinators observed. This effect was independent of other confounding effects, such as the number of flowers on the crop, date, and temperature. Synthesis and applications. This study provides evidence that soft fruit farmers can increase the number of pollinators that visit their crops by sowing inexpensive flower seed mixes nearby. By investing in this management option, farmers have the potential to increase and sustain pollinator populations over time.