Harnessing ecosystem services in transforming agriculture in Southern Africa

Gemmill-Herren, Barbara; Mtambanengwe, Florence; Mapfumo, Paul; Herren, Gisèle L.; (Sanbi), Tlou Masehela; Stevenson, Philip C.; Herren, Jeremy K.

doi:10.4324/9780429401701-19

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 13 publications

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“…With significant declines in wild pollinators over the last decade (Goulson, 2019; Potts et al, 2010), alternatives to support pollination services and efforts to increase the diversity of pollinators in agroecosystems have become the focus of many agri‐environment schemes (Gemmill‐Herren, 2016; Williams & Lonsdorf, 2018). In mass‐flowering pollinator‐dependent crops, flowering periods for each cultivar are often short, and large numbers of pollinators are needed to provide pollination services in a short period of time.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Observations of nectarivorous birds and potential biological control agents in berry orchards

Santos

Davis

Rocchetti³

et al. 2023

Ecosphere

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We observed the brown honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta, visiting blueberry orchards in eastern Australia. L. indistincta is considered to be a nectarivorous bird, feeding almost entirely on nectar. However, we report observations of this species as both a nectarivore and insectivore in blueberry crops and as an insectivore in raspberry crops. Brown honeyeaters may be acting as biological control agents when feeding on leaf‐roller caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in blueberry orchards and on brown blowflies (Calliphora stygia) in raspberry orchards. Although most blueberry growing regions use managed honey bees as the main pollinator, more studies on the complex tritrophic interactions occurring in these crops are needed to better understand the costs and benefits of different farm management practices upon alternative pollinators.

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