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Farm and landscape factors interact to affect the supply of pollination services

Nicholson, Charlie LU orcid ; Koh, Insu ; Richardson, Leif ; Beauchemin, Anna and Ricketts, Taylor H (2017) In Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 250. p.113-122
Abstract
Farms can harbor substantial biodiversity, which in turn sustains the supply of ecosystem services. The effectiveness of farm management to enhance biodiversity, however, may be modified by land cover in the surrounding landscape beyond a farmer’s direct control. We examined how landscape pattern and farm management affect the abundance and diversity of native bees visiting highbush blueberry in Vermont, USA. We quantified landscape pattern at multiple scales and created an agricultural intensity index that represents farm management practices such as pesticide use, mowed and grain crop area. We observed native bee visitation to assess the supply of pollination service provided to blueberry growers. Across 15 farms, 84 wild bee species... (More)
Farms can harbor substantial biodiversity, which in turn sustains the supply of ecosystem services. The effectiveness of farm management to enhance biodiversity, however, may be modified by land cover in the surrounding landscape beyond a farmer’s direct control. We examined how landscape pattern and farm management affect the abundance and diversity of native bees visiting highbush blueberry in Vermont, USA. We quantified landscape pattern at multiple scales and created an agricultural intensity index that represents farm management practices such as pesticide use, mowed and grain crop area. We observed native bee visitation to assess the supply of pollination service provided to blueberry growers. Across 15 farms, 84 wild bee species were observed visiting highbush blueberry, almost a third of bee species recorded in Vermont. Visitation rate, abundance and species richness increased with the amount of natural area surrounding farms. Less intensively managed farms had higher levels of bee visitation, abundance and a more diverse bee community. Bee communities and the pollination services they provide are influenced by interactions between local management and landscape pattern. In particular, intensive farm management appears to compound the negative effects of landscape simplification. To support native pollinators on their farms, growers should consider farming approaches in the context of the broader landscape. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
in
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
volume
250
pages
113 - 122
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85032009227
ISSN
1873-2305
DOI
10.1016/j.agee.2017.08.030
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
9e733d38-2d6c-4833-9f2b-1e5b282243d4
date added to LUP
2023-02-09 16:20:36
date last changed
2023-02-21 16:53:47
@article{9e733d38-2d6c-4833-9f2b-1e5b282243d4,
  abstract     = {{Farms can harbor substantial biodiversity, which in turn sustains the supply of ecosystem services. The effectiveness of farm management to enhance biodiversity, however, may be modified by land cover in the surrounding landscape beyond a farmer’s direct control. We examined how landscape pattern and farm management affect the abundance and diversity of native bees visiting highbush blueberry in Vermont, USA. We quantified landscape pattern at multiple scales and created an agricultural intensity index that represents farm management practices such as pesticide use, mowed and grain crop area. We observed native bee visitation to assess the supply of pollination service provided to blueberry growers. Across 15 farms, 84 wild bee species were observed visiting highbush blueberry, almost a third of bee species recorded in Vermont. Visitation rate, abundance and species richness increased with the amount of natural area surrounding farms. Less intensively managed farms had higher levels of bee visitation, abundance and a more diverse bee community. Bee communities and the pollination services they provide are influenced by interactions between local management and landscape pattern. In particular, intensive farm management appears to compound the negative effects of landscape simplification. To support native pollinators on their farms, growers should consider farming approaches in the context of the broader landscape.}},
  author       = {{Nicholson, Charlie and Koh, Insu and Richardson, Leif and Beauchemin, Anna and Ricketts, Taylor H}},
  issn         = {{1873-2305}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{113--122}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment}},
  title        = {{Farm and landscape factors interact to affect the supply of pollination services}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.08.030}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.agee.2017.08.030}},
  volume       = {{250}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}