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Research article2014Peer reviewedOpen access

Contribution of insect pollinators to crop yield and quality varies with agricultural intensification

Bartomeus I, Potts SG, Steffan-Dewenter I, Vaissière BE, Woyciechowski M, Krewenka KM, Tscheulin T, Roberts SPM, Szentgyörgyi H, Westphal C, Bommarco R

Abstract

Discussion. For the four crops in this study, there is clear benefit delivered by pollinators on yield quantity and/or quality, but it is not maximized under current agricultural intensification. Honeybees, the most abundant pollinator, might partially compensate the loss of wild pollinators in some areas, but our results suggest the need of landscape-scale actions to enhance wild pollinator populations.

Keywords

Biodiversity; Pollination; Honeybees; Wild bees; Agroecosystems; Ecosystem services

Published in

PeerJ
2014, Volume: 2, article number: 328

      SLU Authors

      • UKÄ Subject classification

      Agricultural Science
      Ecology

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.328

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/64881