A Nature-based solution in practice: ecological and economic modelling shows pollinators outperform agrochemicals in oilseed crop production

Abstract

AbstratNature-based agriculture, reducing dependency on chemical inputs, requires using ecological principles for sustainable agro-ecosystems, balancing ecology, economics and social justice. There is growing evidence that pollinator-dependent crops with high insect pollination service can give higher yields. However, the interacting effects between insect pollination and agricultural inputs on crop yields and farm economics remain to be established to reconcile food production with biodiversity conservation. We investigated the effects of insect pollination and agricultural inputs on oilseed rape (Brassica napusL.). We show that not only yield but also gross margins are 16-40% higher in fields with higher pollinator abundance than in fields with reduced pollinator abundance. This effect is however strongly reduced by pesticides use. Higher yields may be achieved by either increasing agrochemicals (reducing pests) or increasing bee abundance, but crop economic returns was only increased by the latter, because pesticides did not increase yields while their costs reduced gross margins.