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Early mass-flowering crops mitigate pollinator dilution in late-flowering crops

Riedinger, Verena ; Renner, Marion ; Rundlöf, Maj LU orcid ; Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Holzschuh, Andrea (2014) In Landscape Ecology 29(3). p.425-435
Abstract
Previous studies focused mainly on the provision of ecosystem services by species movements between semi-natural and managed habitats, whereas data on spillover effects between two managed habitats or between habitats that provide target resources in non-overlapping time periods are lacking. We studied densities of three pollinator groups on sunflower fields as a late mass-flowering crop in 16 landscapes that differed in the relative cover of oil-seed rape as an early mass-flowering crop, in the relative cover of sunflowers and in the relative cover of semi-natural habitats. Our aim was to evaluate dynamics between two crops with non-overlapping flowering periods. Densities of bumble bees in late-flowering sunflower fields were enhanced by... (More)
Previous studies focused mainly on the provision of ecosystem services by species movements between semi-natural and managed habitats, whereas data on spillover effects between two managed habitats or between habitats that provide target resources in non-overlapping time periods are lacking. We studied densities of three pollinator groups on sunflower fields as a late mass-flowering crop in 16 landscapes that differed in the relative cover of oil-seed rape as an early mass-flowering crop, in the relative cover of sunflowers and in the relative cover of semi-natural habitats. Our aim was to evaluate dynamics between two crops with non-overlapping flowering periods. Densities of bumble bees in late-flowering sunflower fields were enhanced by early-flowering oil-seed rape. Highest bumble bee densities in the late-flowering crop were reached in landscapes that combined high relative covers of oil-seed rape and semi-natural habitats. Further, low relative covers of oil-seed rape in spring led to decreased bumble bee densities in late-flowering sunflower fields in landscapes with high relative covers of sunflower fields (dilution effect), whereas in landscapes with high relative covers of oil-seed rape, no dilution of bumble bees was found. Thus, our results indicate that early mass-flowering crops can mitigate pollinator dilution in crops flowering later in the season. We conclude that the management of landscape-scale patterns of early and late mass-flowering crops together with semi-natural habitats could be used to ensure crop pollination services. Similar processes could also apply for other species groups and may be an important, but so far disregarded, determinant of population densities in agroecosystems. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Apis mellifera, Bombus, Germany, Oil-seed rape, Spillover, Sunflower, Syrphids
in
Landscape Ecology
volume
29
issue
3
pages
425 - 435
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000331935500006
  • scopus:84897634027
ISSN
1572-9761
DOI
10.1007/s10980-013-9973-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
34f4a0f3-326d-4e0a-9fed-049b8897b5a9 (old id 4363714)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:58:57
date last changed
2022-04-20 08:00:23
@article{34f4a0f3-326d-4e0a-9fed-049b8897b5a9,
  abstract     = {{Previous studies focused mainly on the provision of ecosystem services by species movements between semi-natural and managed habitats, whereas data on spillover effects between two managed habitats or between habitats that provide target resources in non-overlapping time periods are lacking. We studied densities of three pollinator groups on sunflower fields as a late mass-flowering crop in 16 landscapes that differed in the relative cover of oil-seed rape as an early mass-flowering crop, in the relative cover of sunflowers and in the relative cover of semi-natural habitats. Our aim was to evaluate dynamics between two crops with non-overlapping flowering periods. Densities of bumble bees in late-flowering sunflower fields were enhanced by early-flowering oil-seed rape. Highest bumble bee densities in the late-flowering crop were reached in landscapes that combined high relative covers of oil-seed rape and semi-natural habitats. Further, low relative covers of oil-seed rape in spring led to decreased bumble bee densities in late-flowering sunflower fields in landscapes with high relative covers of sunflower fields (dilution effect), whereas in landscapes with high relative covers of oil-seed rape, no dilution of bumble bees was found. Thus, our results indicate that early mass-flowering crops can mitigate pollinator dilution in crops flowering later in the season. We conclude that the management of landscape-scale patterns of early and late mass-flowering crops together with semi-natural habitats could be used to ensure crop pollination services. Similar processes could also apply for other species groups and may be an important, but so far disregarded, determinant of population densities in agroecosystems.}},
  author       = {{Riedinger, Verena and Renner, Marion and Rundlöf, Maj and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Holzschuh, Andrea}},
  issn         = {{1572-9761}},
  keywords     = {{Apis mellifera; Bombus; Germany; Oil-seed rape; Spillover; Sunflower; Syrphids}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{425--435}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Landscape Ecology}},
  title        = {{Early mass-flowering crops mitigate pollinator dilution in late-flowering crops}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10980-013-9973-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10980-013-9973-y}},
  volume       = {{29}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}