Overlooked jewels: Existing habitat patches complement sown flower strips to conserve pollinators. (September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: von Königslöw, Vivien; Mupepele, Anne-Christine; Klein, Alexandra-Maria
• Is Part Of: Biological conservation. Volume 261(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09
• Subjects: Apple orchard -- Bees -- Drainage ditches -- Hoverflies -- Overgrown slopes -- Semi-natural habitats; Conservation of natural resources -- Periodicals; Nature conservation -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 333.9516
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109263
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3207

Abstract

Abstract: Flower strips are a frequently adopted measure to conserve insects, especially pollinators, and are subsidized as Agri-Environmental Scheme in many regions. They provide a high quantity of flowers, but their flower species composition and phenological development is mostly uniform. This may result in only a fraction of pollinator species being enhanced. Flower-rich semi-natural habitat patches along slopes, fences or ditches, may provide resources for additional species, but they are not politically promoted. In this study, we compare pollinator communities in sown perennial flower strips with existing flower-rich herbaceous semi-natural habitat patches, both located at the edge of conventional apple orchards in Southern Germany. The flower strips attracted a higher pollinator abundance and species richness than the existing habitat patches. However, the bee species composition differed between the two habitat types. The existing habitat patches attracted bee species with different pollen specialization than the sown flower strips. Pollinator abundance and species richness varied between the different existing habitat patches indicating a high heterogeneity of these existing habitats, whereas the flower strips showed consistently high pollinator abundance and richness. We conclude that existing herbaceous habitat patches are attractive for pollinators and should be promoted by policy actions. Flower-rich semi-natural habitat patches develop without sowing next to typical agricultural landscape elements like slopes, fences and ditches with moderate mowing or herbicide application. They generally do not compete with agricultural land use and thus have a high potential to promote pollinator conservation. Highlights: Flower-rich semi-natural habitat patches complement perennial flower strips in providing foraging habitats to pollinators. Different flowering periods and plant species in semi-natural habitat patches benefit especially solitary and oligolectic bees. Pollinator enhancement in agriculture should not focus on sown flower strips alone, but also consider present habitats. Semi-natural habitat patches hardly withdraw agricultural land and require only little maintenance effort. To establish, enlarge and maintain semi-natural habitat patches political initiatives are necessary.