Effects of crop and non-crop resources and competition: High importance of trees and oilseed rape for solitary bee reproduction

Yourstone, Johanna; Karlsson, Melanie; Klatt, Björn K.; Olsson, Ola; Smith, Henrik G.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109249

Cited by 20 publications

(17 citation statements)

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“…First, when other flowers are available, O . bicornis collect little pollen from rapeseed [ 6 , 47 – 49 ]. However, rapeseed is likely an important nectar source for adult bees, even when they mainly collect pollen from other plants [ 49 , 50 ], and because neonicotinoids are systemic and long-lived, they disperse to the surrounding vegetation [ 6 , 51 , 52 ], where bees could be exposed also when foraging on untreated plants.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While we indeed exposed the bees to clothianidin via seed-treated rapeseed, which is a common field scenario, it is still possible that the exposure did not reflect field conditions. First, when other flowers are available, O. bicornis collect little pollen from rapeseed [6,[47][48][49]. However, rapeseed is likely an important nectar source for adult bees, even when they mainly collect pollen from other plants [49,50], and because neonicotinoids are systemic and long-lived, they disperse to the surrounding vegetation [6,51,52], where bees could be exposed also when foraging on untreated plants.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, when other flowers are available, O. bicornis collect little pollen from rapeseed [6,[47][48][49]. However, rapeseed is likely an important nectar source for adult bees, even when they mainly collect pollen from other plants [49,50], and because neonicotinoids are systemic and long-lived, they disperse to the surrounding vegetation [6,51,52], where bees could be exposed also when foraging on untreated plants. The provision of both autumn and spring-sown plants, to extend the flowering period, may also not reflect field conditions, where bees would normally forage from either one or the other.…”

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

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Seed-coating of rapeseed (Brassica napus) with the neonicotinoid clothianidin affects behaviour of red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) and pollination of strawberry flowers (Fragaria × ananassa)

et al. 2022

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Neonicotinoid insecticides applied to flowering crops can have negative impacts on bees, with implications for crop pollination. To assess if exposure to the neonicotinoid clothianidin via a treated crop (rapeseed) affected bee behaviour, pollination performance (to strawberry), and bee reproduction, we provided each of 12 outdoor cages with rapeseed (autumn-sown plants complemented with a few spring-sown plants to extend the flowering period) grown from either clothianidin-treated or untreated (control) seeds, together with strawberry plants and a small population of red mason bees (Osmia bicornis). We expected clothianidin to reduce bee foraging activity, resulting in impaired strawberry pollination and bee reproduction. During the early stage of the experiment, we observed no difference between treatments in the length of entire foraging trips, or the combined number of rapeseed and strawberry flowers that the bees visited during these trips. During the later stage of the experiment, we instead determined the time a female took to visit 10 rapeseed flowers, as a proxy for foraging performance. We found that they were 10% slower in clothianidin cages. Strawberries weighed less in clothianidin cages, suggesting reduced pollination performance, but we were unable to relate this to reduced foraging activity, because the strawberry flowers received equally many visits in the two treatments. Clothianidin-exposed females sealed their nests less often, but offspring number, sex ratio and weight were similar between treatments. Observed effects on bee behaviour appeared by the end of the experiment, possibly because of accumulated effects of exposure, reduced bee longevity, or higher sensitivity of the protocols we used during the later phase of the experiment. Although the lack of a mechanistic explanation calls for interpreting the results with cautiousness, the lower strawberry weight in clothianidin cages highlights the importance of understanding complex effects of plant protection products, which could have wider consequences than those on directly exposed organisms.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plos Onementioning

confidence: 99%

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Seed-coating of rapeseed (Brassica napus) with the neonicotinoid clothianidin affects behaviour of red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) and pollination of strawberry flowers (Fragaria × ananassa)

et al. 2022

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“…Encroachment of grasses and other ruderal weeds can result in temporal declines in the value of these interventions for maintaining pollinator diversity and abundance [ 101 ], yet few studies have examined the effects of pollinator habitat enhancement on crop pollination beyond four years since establishment [ 9 ], largely precluding inference about the possible role of planted trees. Flowering trees can provide early and abundant floral resources within a small footprint [ 102 , 103 ], while also providing additional non-floral resources such as nesting sites, resins and shelter [ 7 ]. Incorporating trees and other more permanent habitat features into cropping systems is key to supporting future multifunctional landscapes, both in terms of the costs of establishment and maintenance and through their role in supporting multiple ecosystems services and biodiversity [ 104 ].…”

Section: Merging Optimal Crop Production and Pollinator Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pollinator nutrition and its role in merging the dual objectives of pollinator health and optimal crop production

Jones

Rader

2022

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Bee and non-bee insect pollinators play an integral role in the quantity and quality of production for many food crops, yet there is growing evidence that nutritional challenges to pollinators in agricultural landscapes are an important factor in the reduction of pollinator populations worldwide. Schemes to enhance crop pollinator health have historically focused on floral resource plantings aimed at increasing pollinator abundance and diversity by providing more foraging opportunities for bees. These efforts have demonstrated that improvements in bee diversity and abundance are achievable; however, goals of increasing crop pollination outcomes via these interventions are not consistently met. To support pollinator health and crop pollination outcomes in tandem, habitat enhancements must be tailored to meet the life-history needs of specific crop pollinators, including non-bees. This will require greater understanding of the nutritional demands of these taxa together with the supply of floral and non-floral food resources and how these interact in cropping environments. Understanding the mechanisms underlying crop pollination and pollinator health in unison across a range of taxa is clearly a win–win for industry and conservation, yet achievement of these goals will require new knowledge and novel, targeted methods. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes’.

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“…Studies evaluating the impacts of woody vegetation on solitary bee reproduction are less common than those evaluating impacts of woody vegetation on solitary bee abundance and richness. One study found that reproductive output of red mason bees had a positive relationship with tree availability (Yourstone et al, 2021). However, red mason bees do not use resin to construct nests and the increase in reproductive output was likely due to trees being used as pollen sources or larger founding populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating effects of neonicotinoid seed treatments and agroecosystem land management practices on solitary bees in Midwestern agroecosystems

Abney¹

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Bees are declining due to multiple factors including habitat loss and non-target exposure to pesticides resulting from agricultural intensification. Solitary bees are often overlooked as important pollinators, but they are valuable contributors to both the commercial success and ecological diversity of agroecosystems. Yet, solitary bee communities in agroecosystems may be adversely impacted by exposure to pesticides such as neonicotinoid insecticides, and it is unclear if bee habitat adjacent to agricultural fields can buffer against the potential negative impacts of neonicotinoids. Laboratory studies indicate lethal and sublethal effects of neonicotinoids on bees, and previous field studies have demonstrated reduced abundance, richness, and reproductive success of solitary bees in agroecosystems where neonicotinoids are present. Thus, we proposed two field studies of wild, solitary bee communities in agricultural field margins to determine the impacts of neonicotinoid insecticides and site-specific habitat variables (e.g., floral richness) on bees in Missouri agroecosystems. First, in 2019, we surveyed bee abundance and richness in field margins adjacent to 29 soybean fields located on public conservation areas (n = 18) and private land enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (n = 11). Public study fields were planted to one of three experimental treatments: untreated (no insecticide), treated (imidacloprid), or previously-treated (untreated, but neonicotinoid use prior to 2017). Privately-owned study fields were planted to one of two experimental treatments: treated (neonicotinoid) or previously-treated (untreated, but neonicotinoid use in 2018). Second, in 2018 and 2019, we placed solitary bee nest boxes in field margins of soybean fields (2018, n = 18; 2019, n = 24). In 2018, all fields were located on public conservation areas and, in 2019, privately-owned fields were added to the study. The experimental treatments for public and privately-owned study fields were the same as described for the first study. In the first study, we found wild, solitary bee abundance and richness was best explained by field treatment, with fewer bees and lower bee diversity observed in margins of previously-treated and treated fields compared to margins of untreated fields. We also found that bare soil and floral richness in field margins positively influenced bee abundance and richness, but it remains unclear if the positive influences of habitat can outweigh the negative impact of neonicotinoid seed treatments on bee abundance and richness. In the second study, we found field treatment had no negative impact on nesting effort of cavity-nesting bees. However, field treatment significantly reduced resin bee nesting success, with a lower percentage of resin bees emerging from nests collected from margins of previously-treated public (15 percent) and treated public (7 percent) fields compared to untreated fields (46 percent). We also found that the amount of woody vegetation within 800 m of nesting sites may impact nesting effort of resin bees, with more nest cells produced and cavities used in margins of fields with a greater amount of woody vegetation within 800 m. Reducing or eliminating neonicotinoid use in areas managed for wildlife may be beneficial to the conservation of wild bee populations.

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Effects of crop and non-crop resources and competition: High importance of trees and oilseed rape for solitary bee reproduction

Cited by 20 publications

References 70 publications

Seed-coating of rapeseed (Brassica napus) with the neonicotinoid clothianidin affects behaviour of red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) and pollination of strawberry flowers (Fragaria × ananassa)

Seed-coating of rapeseed (Brassica napus) with the neonicotinoid clothianidin affects behaviour of red mason bees (Osmia bicornis) and pollination of strawberry flowers (Fragaria × ananassa)

Pollinator nutrition and its role in merging the dual objectives of pollinator health and optimal crop production

Evaluating effects of neonicotinoid seed treatments and agroecosystem land management practices on solitary bees in Midwestern agroecosystems

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