Pollinator declines are a global concern, and agriculture sits at the center of the challenge. As farms grow more efficient and landscapes become increasingly simplified, bees, butterflies and other pollinators are losing the varied habitats they depend on. One widely promoted solution is planting native vegetation, but an important question remains: Does pollinator habitat embedded within conventional farming systems provide overall benefits if pesticides remain in the surrounding landscape?
A new report in the publication Bioscience says “yes,” based on more than a decade of field studies, laboratory analyses and landscape-scale research.
Prairie strips are diverse plantings of native grasses and flowering forbs strategically placed within corn and soybean fields to provide multiple conservation benefits. The synthesis paper evaluates what we have learned about whether these habitats provide a net benefit to pollinators despite potential pesticide exposure.
The review team was led by Professor Amy Toth, who has a joint appointment in ecology, evolution and organismal biology and plant pathology, entomology and microbiology and at Iowa State University.
Source : iastate.edu