1
|
Willcox BK, Howlett BG, Robson AJ, Cutting B, Evans L, Jesson L, Kirkland L, Jean-Meyzonnier M, Potdevin V, Saunders ME, Rader R. Evaluating the taxa that provide shared pollination services across multiple crops and regions. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13538. [PMID: 31537826 PMCID: PMC6753147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49535-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Many pollinator species visit multiple crops in multiple regions, yet we know little about their pollination service provisioning at local and regional scales. We investigated the floral visitors (n = 13,200), their effectiveness (n = 1718 single visits) and response to landscape composition across three crops avocado, mango and macadamia within a single growing region (1 year), a single crop (3 years) and across different growing regions in multiple years. In total, eight wild visitor groups were shared across all three crops. The network was dominated by three pollinators, two bees (Apis mellifera and Tetragonula spp.) and a fly, Stomorhina discolor. The visitation network for the three crops was relatively generalised but with the addition of pollen deposition data, specialisation increased. Sixteen managed and wild taxa were consistently present across three years in avocado, yet their contribution to annual network structure varied. Node specialisation (d') analyses indicated many individual orchard sites across each of the networks were significantly more specialised compared to that predicted by null models, suggesting the presence of site-specific factors driving these patterns. Identifying the taxa shared across multiple crops, regions and years will facilitate the development of specific pollinator management strategies to optimize crop pollination services in horticultural systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryony K Willcox
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
| | - Brad G Howlett
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch Mail Centre, Christchurch, 8140, New Zealand
| | - Andrew J Robson
- Precision Agriculture Research Group, School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Brian Cutting
- Plant & Food Research Australia, Queensland University of Technology, M Block Room 581, Gardens Point Campus GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, 4001, Australia
| | - Lisa Evans
- Plant & Food Research Australia, Queensland University of Technology, M Block Room 581, Gardens Point Campus GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, 4001, Australia
| | - Linley Jesson
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Limited, Hawke's Bay, Crosses Rd, Parkvale, Havelock, North 4172, New Zealand
| | - Lindsey Kirkland
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | - Manu E Saunders
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
- UNE Business School, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Romina Rader
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|