Crop pollination by bees

Delaplane, Keith S.; Mayer, D. F.

doi:10.1079/9780851994482.0000

Cited by 700 publications

(544 citation statements)

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“…In a recent review, the value of the global pollination service provided by wild bees was estimated at $3,251/ha, similar to the contribution of managed honeybees, and seven of the ten wild bee species identified as providing the highest mean contribution to crop production were solitary (Kleijn et al., 2015). For some important pollinator‐dependent crops grown in the UK, such as apple, solitary bees are more efficient pollinators than honeybees (Delaplane, Mayer, & Mayer, 2000; Garratt et al., 2014). As the cultivation of crops that depend on insect pollination continues to expand (Aizen, Garibaldi, Cunningham, & Klein, 2008), the conservation of solitary bee communities on farmland is important; it is estimated that current honeybee populations are capable of supplying just 34% of the pollination service demand in the UK (Breeze, Bailey, Balcombe, & Potts, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flower preferences and pollen transport networks for cavity‐nesting solitary bees: Implications for the design of agri‐environment schemes

Gresty

Clare

Devey

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Floral foraging resources are valuable for pollinator conservation on farmland, and their provision is encouraged by agri‐environment schemes in many countries. Across Europe, wildflower seed mixtures are widely sown on farmland to encourage pollinators, but the extent to which key pollinator groups such as solitary bees exploit and benefit from these resources is unclear. We used high‐throughput sequencing of 164 pollen samples extracted from the brood cells of six common cavity‐nesting solitary bee species (Osmia bicornis, Osmia caerulescens, Megachile versicolor, Megachile ligniseca, Megachile centuncularis and Hylaeus confusus) which are widely distributed across the UK and Europe. We documented their pollen use across 19 farms in southern England, UK, revealing their forage plants and examining the structure of their pollen transport networks. Of the 32 plant species included currently in sown wildflower mixes, 15 were recorded as present within close foraging range of the bees on the study farms, but only Ranunculus acris L. was identified within the pollen samples. Rosa canina L. was the most commonly found of the 23 plant species identified in the pollen samples, suggesting that, in addition to providing a nesting resource for Megachile leafcutter bees, it may be an important forage plant for these species. Higher levels of connectance and nestedness were characteristic of pollen transport networks on farms with abundant floral resources, which may increase resilience to species loss. Our data suggest that plant species promoted currently by agri‐environment schemes are not optimal for solitary bee foraging. If a diverse community of pollinators is to be supported on UK and European farmland, additional species such as R. canina should be encouraged to meet the foraging requirements of solitary bees.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flower preferences and pollen transport networks for cavity‐nesting solitary bees: Implications for the design of agri‐environment schemes

Gresty

Clare

Devey

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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“…We suggest integrating the following general practices into management plans: (i) increase nesting opportunities with the particular nesting needs of different pollinating species in mind and these may include gaps in surface vegetation or modifying cultivation practices (Shuler et al 2005), retaining neighbouring forest nesting sites for groundnesting bees (Cane 1997a,b) or leaving dead wood providing holes for cavity-nesting bees (Westrich 1996), (ii) increase forage by providing suitable diverse floral resources in the local area and the broader landscape during the season of pollinator activity (Kevan et al 1990;Banaszak 1992;Westrich 1996;Goulson 2003;Ghazoul 2006). Crop rotation using these flowering plants should be especially applied in intensified uniform agricultural landscapes and may also help to enhance other ecosystem services such as soil improvement, pest management by breaking cycles of damaging pests or erosion control, (iii) enhance opportunities for colonization by connecting habitats with flowering strips and hedgerows around arable fields, small forest patches or even single trees as 'stepping stones' (Steffan-Dewenter et al 2002Pywell et al 2006), and (iv) reduce the risk of population crashes in the field and the surrounding habitats by foregoing use of broad-spectrum insecticides during bloom, especially those with systemic or micro-encapsulated formulations that can contaminate nectar and pollen (Kevan 1975;Wood 1979;Delaplane & Mayer 2000). Financial burdens of these recommendations could be ameliorated through agro-environmental schemes, such as those in Europe and the United States, which compensate farmers who apply management strategies to conserve biodiversity.…”

Section: Management Conclusion and Future Directions (A) Pollinator mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other crops await similar comparative pollinator study. The numbers of managed honeybee colonies are declining in some parts of the world (Williams et al 1991;Matheson et al 1996;Delaplane & Mayer 2000;Anonymous 2005) largely owing to: (i) the spread of pests like parasitic mites (Varroa jacobsoni, V. destructor and Acarapis woodi; Downey & Winston 2001;Chen et al 2004), the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida; Evans et al 2003) and the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae (Higes et al 2006), (ii) improper pesticide and herbicide use (Ingram et al 1996), (iii) ageing of the beekeeper population in Europe and North America, and (iv) lower market prices for their products and services. Indeed, declining honeybee availability led to recent concern over pollination shortfalls such as those seen for almonds in California (www.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops

et al. 2006

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The extent of our reliance on animal pollination for world crop production for human food has not previously been evaluated and the previous estimates for countries or continents have seldom used primary data. In this review, we expand the previous estimates using novel primary data from 200 countries and found that fruit, vegetable or seed production from 87 of the leading global food crops is dependent upon animal pollination, while 28 crops do not rely upon animal pollination. However, global production volumes give a contrasting perspective, since 60% of global production comes from crops that do not depend on animal pollination, 35% from crops that depend on pollinators, and 5% are unevaluated. Using all crops traded on the world market and setting aside crops that are solely passively self-pollinated, windpollinated or parthenocarpic, we then evaluated the level of dependence on animal-mediated pollination for crops that are directly consumed by humans. We found that pollinators are essential for 13 crops, production is highly pollinator dependent for 30, moderately for 27, slightly for 21, unimportant for 7, and is of unknown significance for the remaining 9. We further evaluated whether local and landscape-wide management for natural pollination services could help to sustain crop diversity and production. Case studies for nine crops on four continents revealed that agricultural intensification jeopardizes wild bee communities and their stabilizing effect on pollination services at the landscape scale.

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“…Cross-pollination may still be preferred, as it appears to give higher yields and better quality in terms of oil content. At the same time, collecting nectar and pollen by honeybees in sunflower crops is also essential to apiculture (Delaplane and Mayer, 2000). Unlike other insects, bees visit a great number of flowers to fulfill the needs of their colony assisting pollination by the way (Müller et al, 2006).…”

Section: Climate Change and Pollinatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sunflower crop and climate change: vulnerability, adaptation, and mitigation potential from case-studies in Europe

Debaeke¹,

Casadebaig²,

Flénet

et al. 2017

OCL

108

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-Climate change is characterized by higher temperatures, elevated atmospheric CO 2 concentrations, extreme climatic hazards, and less water available for agriculture. Sunflower, a springsown crop often cultivated in southern and eastern regions of Europe, could be more vulnerable to the direct effect of heat stress at anthesis and drought during its growing cycle, both factors resulting in severe yield loss, oil content decrease, and fatty acid alterations. Adaptations through breeding (earliness, stress tolerance), crop management (planting dates), and shifting of growing areas could be developed, assessed and combined to partly cope with these negative impacts. New cultivation opportunities could be expected in northern parts of Europe where sunflower is not grown presently and where it could usefully contribute to diversify cereal-based cropping systems. In addition, sunflower crop could participate to the mitigation solution as a low greenhouse gas emitter compared to cereals and oilseed rape. Sunflower crop models should be revised to account for these emerging environmental factors in order to reduce the uncertainties in yield and oil predictions. The future of sunflower in Europe is probably related to its potential adaptation to climate change but also to its competitiveness and attractiveness for food and energy.Keywords: CO 2 / temperature / crop model / biotic stress / water deficit Résumé -Culture du tournesol et changement climatique : vulnérabilité, adaptation et potentiel d'atténuation via des études de cas en Europe. Le changement climatique se caractérise par des températures élevées, de plus fortes concentrations atmosphériques en CO 2 , des risques climatiques extrêmes et moins d'eau disponible pour l'agriculture. Le tournesol, culture semée au printemps dans le sud et l'est de l'Europe, pourrait être plus exposé à l'avenir aux fortes températures et à un déficit hydrique marqué dès la floraison, avec pour conséquences des pertes de rendement, une diminution de la teneur en huile et une altération de la composition en acides gras. Des adaptations sont possibles à court et moyen terme par la sélection (précocité, tolérance aux stress), la conduite de culture (date de semis) et le déplacement des zones de production, permettant de faire face en partie aux impacts négatifs attendus. Ainsi le tournesol pourrait être cultivé plus au nord participant utilement à la nécessaire diversification des bassins céréaliers. En outre, la culture de tournesol étant faiblement émettrice de gaz à effet de serre par rapport aux céréales ou au colza pourrait contribuer davantage à la solution climatique apportée par l'agriculture. Les modèles de culture devraient être revus pour mieux tenir compte de ces facteurs environnementaux émergents si l'on veut réduire les incertitudes dans les prédictions de rendement et de teneur en huile. L'avenir du tournesol en Europe est probablement lié à son potentiel d'adaptation au changement climatique, mais dépendra aussi de sa compétitivité et de son attractivité en t...

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Crop pollination by bees

Cited by 700 publications

References 0 publications

Flower preferences and pollen transport networks for cavity‐nesting solitary bees: Implications for the design of agri‐environment schemes

Flower preferences and pollen transport networks for cavity‐nesting solitary bees: Implications for the design of agri‐environment schemes

Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops

Sunflower crop and climate change: vulnerability, adaptation, and mitigation potential from case-studies in Europe

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