Context Intensive agriculture drives insect decline impacting insect-mediated ecosystem services that support production. Crop diversifcation shows promise in increasing crop productivity and enhancing ecosystem services, however, the impact on biodiversity conservation, particularly of pollinators, is unclear. Objectives Here, we synthesize the mechanisms and current evidence base of how increasing the spatial and temporal diversity of crops within and across agricultural felds can beneft pollinator biodiversity. Methods We focus on research in the highly intensifed agricultural regions, in Western Europe and North America, from which we know a lot about pollinator decline, but use inspiration from tropical regions. Results We fnd that higher crop diversity, with sequentially fowering cultivars, intercropping practices, and a larger coverage of fowering crops, for example through integrating the cultivation of forgotten, novel, and woody crops increases fower resource availability throughout the active fight period of pollinators. All practices can increase landscape heterogeneity, which is further enhanced by decreasing feld sizes. As a result, the functional connectivity increases, which improves the fower accessibility within the foraging ranges of pollinators. Conclusions Our review highlights the potential beneft of various crop diversifcation measures for supporting pollinating insects without taking land out of production, as well as the limitations, including that only a subset of pollinator species may benefit. Empirical evidence suggest that diversifcation practices could beneft pollinators, but landscape-wide studies are needed to properly evaluate the true potential of crop diversifcation for pollinator conservation as part of the solution for bending the curve of pollinator decline

Pollination is a key ecosystem service crucial for supporting agricultural production, economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental protection. Understanding the economic value of pollination and its impact on human health and nutrition is essential for effective pollinator conservation and management. This study evaluates the economic and nutritional value of pollination services in Nepal and quantifies historic changes in pollinator reliance. Using public data on agricultural production and commodity prices, in combination with published nutritional composition values, we employ the dependency-ratio method to quantify economic and nutritional value across different regions of the country and through time. We conservatively estimate the annual economic value of pollination services in Nepal at US $477 million, representing 9% of total agricultural revenue. Pollinatordependent crops, particularly fruits and vegetables are the source of essential nutrients; 40% of plantbased vitamin A and 14% of vitamin C are directly attributable to insect pollination. The cultivated area of these pollinator-dependent crops has increased by 91% in Nepal over 20 years – 3.7 times faster than equivalent increases in non-pollinator-dependent crops. The decline in wild pollinators during the same time period poses a threat, leading to potential pollination deficits and crop losses. Our study underscores the importance of conserving and managing pollinators to ensure sustainable agriculture, food security, and nutrition. Targeted efforts, including policy interventions and conservation strategies, are needed to safeguard pollinator populations and enhance pollination services.

The interplay between forest cover and pollinator abundance in agricultural landscapes is critical for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem services, particularly in homesteads that rely on pollination for food production. Forests act as reservoirs of biodiversity, offering essential habitats, floral resources, and ecological connectivity that benefit pollinators.

Pollination services by insects contribute strongly to food security and ecosystem stability. However, especially in Africa, little is known about farmer's knowledge and awareness of pollination services. Here, we first surveyed home garden farmers about their knowledge on pollination services, and their ability to recognize insect pollinators. Then we evaluated their home gardens for the availability of pollinator forage resources. We found that a majority of the farmers (89.1%) were not aware of pollination services and that awareness was higher for males and those with higher education levels. All farmers were able to recognize at least one insect species (especially, Apis mellifera) but most farmers did not know them as pollinators. We also found that 293 woody plant species from 62 families in Chagga home gardens (CHGs), provided insect pollinator forage. There was higher alpha diversity for exotic forage plants but higher gamma diversity for natives. The increase in diversity of pollinator forage plants reduced the temporal variability of flower richness. Our findings suggest that farmers should be made more aware of pollination services as well as insect pollinators specifically regarding their benefits to increase willingness to conserve them. Awareness programs should be accessible to women and those with little formal education as they exhibit the least knowledge. Also, various media tools should be used for effective dissemination to the different target audiences. Our findings also provide evidence that if managed properly some traditional agricultural land use systems can enhance pollination services by providing diverse forage resources for insect pollinators.

English ivy (Hedera helix) is an important resource for wildlife in rural and urban ecosystems. It provides pollen and nectar for flower-visiting insects during autumn and fruits for frugivores during winter and spring. A requirement of insect pollination for fruit set in ivy implies that recent declines in pollinator populations can threaten food supply for frugivores. This study investigated the link between pollination services and the quantity and quality of fruit produced in ivy, and how that could in turn influence frugivore feeding choices, in a mixed woodland and an urban garden habitat respectively. Surveys on pollinator community and activity were conducted to assess the overall level of pollination. A set of experiments involving insect exclusion, open pollination, and extra pollen supplementation was performed to reveal the level of pollinator dependence and pollination deficit in ivy. Additionally, the removal of these fruits by frugivores was measured to test whether frugivore feeding preferences are influenced by the initial level of pollination. Our results showed that the quantity and quality (size) of fruit produced in ivy were significantly reduced under insect exclusion, which is strong evidence for pollinator dependence. Pollination deficit was also identified at both sites. Furthermore, the data indicate that frugivores can display some degree of preference for well-pollinated ivy fruits. Taken together, our study shows that declines in pollination services will have direct impacts on the availability and quality of ivy fruits for frugivores. Maintaining the health of pollinator communities in both urban and rural habitats could therefore ensure healthy ecosystem functioning.

Urban green spaces can be important habitats for soil, plant, and pollinator diversity and the complementary ecosystem functions they confer. Most studies tend to investigate the relationships between plant diversity with either soil or pollinator diversity, but establishing their relationship across habitat types could be important for optimising ecosystem service provision via alternative management (for instance, urban meadows in place of short amenity grass). Here, we investigate soil–plant–pollinator relationships across urban grass and meadow habitats through a range of measured biodiversity (soil mesofauna and macrofauna, plants, aboveground invertebrates, and pollinators) and edaphic variables. We found significant effects of habitat type on available nutrients (plant and soil C:N ratios) but less clear relationships were observed between habitat type and diversity metrics. Soil–plant–pollinator interactions across habitat types and sites showed an interconnection, whereby flowering plant abundance increased alongside soil macrofauna abundance. Site characteristics that showed strong effects on plant and invertebrate diversity metrics were C:N ratios (plant and soil) and soil pH, suggesting a potential role of nutrient availability on soil–plant–pollinator associations. Our results suggest that a combination of short-mown grass, tall grass, and sown flowers can provide greater benefits for soil and pollination services as each habitat type benefits different taxa due to differing sensitivities to management practices. For example, pollinators benefit from sown flowers but soil fauna are sensitive to annual sowing. Our results also indicate that sown flowers may not optimise overall biodiversity as expected due to disturbance and the depleting role of tall, flowering plants on soil nutrient availability. Future research across a greater range of sites in urban landscapes would resolve the potential role of nutrient availability in modulating soil–plant–pollinator interactions in urban green spaces.

Jordbrukens ekosystem är mer komplexa än vad man tidigare trott och består av många olika arter kopplade till olika ekosystemtjänster som jordbruket tillhandahåller. De interaktioner som bildas mellan arterna bildar ett ekologiskt nätverk där växterna är de energiproducerande resurserna för konsumenter högre upp i nätverket. Vi lever idag i ett sjätte massutdöende med pågående klimatkris som påverkar sannolikheten för arters överlevnad. Syftet med det här arbetet är därför att ta reda på hur jordbrukets ekosystemtjänster påverkas vid artbortfall av vissa växter skapade av hoten invasiva arter, patogener och pollinatörbrist. Syftet är även att titta på hur detta arbetssätt kan användas inom undervisningen av biologi på gymnasiet. Undersökningen av artbortfallens påverkan sker med hjälp av Bayesianska nätverk som utifrån alla artinteraktioner och tillhandahållanden av ekosystemtjänster beräknar och simulerar sannolikheten för arters överlevnad och därmed även sannolikheten för att ekosystemtjänsterna ska finnas kvar. Det visade sig att oavsett hot så blir så gott som alla ekosystemtjänster påverkade vilket tyder på många indirekta effekter. Det visade sig även att hoten pollinatörbrist har störst påverkan på minskningen av de aktuella ekosystemtjänsterna. Simuleringen av artbortfall skulle kunna implementeras i biologiundervisningen på gymnasiet för att visa på hur komplexa ekosystemen är och ge eleverna en djupare förståelse i hur de ekologiska, ekonomiska och sociala aspekterna hänger samman och försöka hitta metoder för att åtgärda minskningarna av ekosystemtjänsterna. | Agricultural ecosystems are more complex than previously thought and consist of many different species linked to different ecosystem services that agriculture provides. The interactions between the species form an ecological network where the plants are the energy-producing resources for consumers higher up in the network. Today we live in a sixth mass extinction with an ongoing climate crisis that affects the probability of species survival. The purpose of this work is therefore to find out how agricultural ecosystem services are affected in the case of species extinction of certain plants created by the threats of invasive species, pathogens and pollinator shortages. The secondary aim is also to look at how this can be used in the teaching of biology at upper secondary school. The investigation of the impact of species loss is done with Bayesian networks which, based on all species interactions and the provision of ecosystem services, calculate and simulate the probability of species survival and thus also the probability that the ecosystem services will remain. It turned out that regardless of the threat, almost all ecosystem services are affected, which indicates many indirect effects. It also turned out that the threatened pollinator shortage has the greatest impact on the reduction of the current ecosystem services. The simulation of species loss could be implemented in upper secondary school biology classes to show how complex ecosystems are and give students a deeper understanding of how the ecological, economic and social aspects are connected and try to find methods to remedy the reductions in ecosystem services.

Biodiversity and biotic interactions in agro-ecosystems can be driven by local and landscape drivers, including environmental factors, management practices, and landscape characteristics. The role of natural or semi-natural area in agro-ecosystem has received considerable attention from biodiversity poor temperate regions, such as Europe and North America, where large scale commercial and intensive agricultural practices are prevalent. However, most of India situated within tropical or subtropical regions, supports greater biodiversity. India’s goal to increase agricultural production may lead to intensification through high use of agro-chemical inputs and intensive monoculture practices. Understanding how farm management and landscape variables drive biodiversity and biotic interactions that are beneficial for agriculture is a timely study for India, particularly for the regions that traditionally practiced low intensive agriculture but are now susceptible to intensification. This pilot study aims to discern the effect of landscape variables on insect biodiversity and the biotic interactions that contribute to ecosystem services such as pollination and natural biocontrol in agro-ecosystem models, such as homestead gardens. Due to the intervention of self-help groups and NGOs, a significant proportion of natural areas have been reclaimed and restored as forests. To test the hypothesis that forest cover positively affects insect diversity and insect services in croplands, we focused on winter crop fields in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh. The main research findings are that forest cover generally supports bees which are important pollinators, but croplands harbored important pest controlling agents such as parasitoid wasps and pollinators such as flies in homesteads. Built-up areas and water bodies have varied effects on different insect and pollinator groups. Certain crops are preferred for forage and nest building materials by pollinators emphasising the importance of crop plants in maintaining pollinator populations. Predation services by farmland predators are influenced by landscape composition, with forest cover and cropland area being significant drivers. These conclusions underscore the complex interactions between landscape variables, insect populations, pollinators, and natural pest control services in agricultural landscapes. While extent of forests, rangelands and crop lands play a vital role in various ecosystem services that impact crop productivity, in-depth study to understand interactive effects of the various landscape components is crucial to understand the intricacies of the interactions of these agriculturally important insects and the landscape components.

International audience | Warming temperate winters are resulting in increased insect winter activity. With modern agroecosystems largely homogenous, characterised by low floral diversity, competitive interactions may arise between flower-visiting species, with potential implications for the ecosystem services they provide (e.g. biological control and pollination). Flower strips may be implemented during winter months to support flower-visiting insects and enhance ecosystem service provision. Employing field trials conducted in Brittany, France between 2019 and 2021 and laboratory cage experiments, the current study examined the impact of winter flower strips on aphid biological control performed by parasitoid wasps and the potential for competitive interactions between winter-active parasitoids and pollinators. Results revealed that parasitism rate was not enhanced by the presence of winter flower strips. This lack of effect was not the consequence of pollinator presence, and the current study found no effect of pollinator abundance on parasitism rate. Flower strips may thus be implemented during winter months to support nectar-feeding insects when floral resources are scarce, with no evidence of exploitative competition between pollinators and parasitoids, nor a detrimental impact on biological control provision.