Landscape composition and configuration affect bees in the olive agroecosystem

Abstract

Olive groves constitute a landscape that covers a large area in the Mediterranean basin, with essential economic importance, but which can also have environmental importance if an olive grove landscape is designed that favours populations of beneficial insects. Bees are also essential from an economic and environmental viewpoint and are in increasing decline. This work aimed to determine the landscape F I G U R E 1 Location of the study area within Spain and the Community of Madrid. Buffer areas of 1,500 m around the sampled olive groves are shown, with the SIOSE digitalization on the PNOA photograph

A complex landscape favours the abundance and species richness of syrphids (Diptera: Syrphidae) in olive groves

“…Although this was not a consistent effect, it was more significant when high values of MSI were associated with high abundance and species richness, which is consistent with the general trend of a more complex landscape favouring syrphids in different agroecosystems (Burgio & Sommaggio, 2007;Fahrig et al, 2015;González et al, 2022;Haenke et al, 2014;Martin et al, 2016;Popov et al, 2017). In the same study area MSI affected also positively wild bees (Pascual, 2022); and negatively the olive moth, P. oleae, in another olive growing area (Villa et al, 2020). Complex landscapes provide beneficial insects with food, refuge and alternative prey/host (Landis, Wratten, & Gurr, 2000) and this results in enhanced abundance and biodiversity in agroecosystems However, in autumn most of the herbaceous plants are dry, which makes the thicket an unfavourable habitat for syrphids, so their numbers in the nearby olive groves decrease.…”

“…A complex landscape with a diversity of land uses supports syrphids community better than a more homogeneous landscape dominated by olive groves, because wild land uses provide resources for syrphids. In the same study area, CAO had also a negative effect on other insects, such as bees, although the responses of the different families varied slightly (Pascual, 2022), lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) (Pascual, Rescia, Ayca Ondul, Paul, & Ortega, 2022), or the ground beetle Orthomus barbarus (Dejean, 1828) (Lantero et al, 2019).…”

“…A complex landscape with a diversity of land uses supports syrphids community better than a more homogeneous landscape dominated by olive groves, because wild land uses provide resources for syrphids. In the same study area, CAO had also a negative effect on other insects, such as bees, although the responses of the different families varied slightly (Pascual, 2022), lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) (Pascual, Rescia, Ayca Ondul, Paul, & Ortega, 2022), or the ground beetle Orthomus barbarus (Dejean, 1828) (Lantero et al, 2019). On the other hand, simple landscapes, with olive grove predominance, were associated to higher richness of hymenopteran parasitoid families (Pascual, Rescia, et al, 2022) and higher abundance of the ground beetle Pterostichus globosus (Fabricius, 1792) (Lantero et al, 2019).…”

“…The effect of the area of scrubland (CAS) on abundance and species richness was positive in spring but negative in autumn. Scrubland is the main natural land use in the study area, and it was the parameter that most affected the abundance and richness of bee genera in the same study area, with a positive effect (Pascual, 2022). On the other hand, a negative relationship was observed with the abundance of the ground beetle O. barbarus , especially in autumn (Lantero et al, 2019) and also with the abundance of pirate bugs (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) (Pascual, Ortega, & Villa, 2022).…”

“…In the olive agroecosystem, syrphid larvae are predators of the olive psyllids, Euphyllura olivina (Costa, 1839) and Euphyllura straminea Loginova, 1973 (Hemiptera), the green moth, Palpita vitrealis (Rossi, 1794) and the olive moth, Prays oleae (Bernard, 1788) (Lepidoptera) (Rojo, Gilbert, Marcos‐García, Nieto, & Mier, 2003), contributing to biological control of these insect pests. The study of the effect of landscape structure on different trophic guilds and processes in the olive agroecosystem has received attention in the last 20 years, showing in general a beneficial effect of complex landscapes (Alves, Mendes, Alves da Silva, Sousa, & Paredes, 2021; Boccaccio & Petacchi, 2009; Costa et al, 2020; Lantero et al, 2019; Martínez‐Nuñez et al, 2020; Ortega, Moreno, Fernández, & Pascual, 2022; Ortega, Sanchez‐Ramos, González‐Nuñez, & Pascual, 2018; Paredes et al, 2022; Pascual, 2022; Picchi, Bocci, Petacchi, & Ending, 2016; Scalercio, Brandmayr, Iannotta, Petacchi, & Boccaccio, 2012; Villa, Santos, Pascual, & Pereira, 2021). We hypothesize that landscape complexity favours syrphid community in the olive agroecosystem.…”