Stability of pollination services decreases with isolation from natural areas despite honey bee visits

Sustainable agricultural landscapes by definition provide high magnitude and stability of ecosystem services, biodiversity and crop productivity. However, few studies have considered landscape effects on the stability of ecosystem services. We tested whether isolation from florally diverse natural and semi-natural areas reduces the spatial and temporal stability of flower-visitor richness and pollination services in crop fields. We synthesised data from 29 studies with contrasting biomes, crop species and pollinator communities. Stability of flower-visitor richness, visitation rate (all insects except honey bees) and fruit set all decreased with distance from natural areas. At 1km from adjacent natural areas, spatial stability decreased by 25, 16 and 9% for richness, visitation and fruit set, respectively, while temporal stability decreased by 39% for richness and 13% for visitation. Mean richness, visitation and fruit set also decreased with isolation, by 34, 27 and 16% at 1km respectively. In contrast, honey bee visitation did not change with isolation and represented >25% of crop visits in 21 studies. Therefore, wild pollinators are relevant for crop productivity and stability even when honey bees are abundant. Policies to preserve and restore natural areas in agricultural landscapes should enhance levels and reliability of pollination services.

Fil: Garibaldi, Lucas Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos y Sistemas de Información; Argentina

Fil: Steffan Dewenter, Ingolf. Universität Würzburg; Alemania

Fil: Kremen, Claire. University of California at Berkeley; Estados Unidos

Fil: Morales, Juan Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Ecotono; Argentina

Fil: Bommarco, Riccardo. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Suecia

Fil: Cunningham, Saul A.. CSIRO; Australia

Fil: Carvalheiro, Luísa G.. Univerity of Pretoria; Sudáfrica. University of Leeds; Reino Unido. South African National Biodiversity Institute,. Kirstenbosch Research Centre; Sudáfrica

Fil: Chacoff, Natacha Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; Argentina

Fil: Dudenhöffer, Jan H.. Universität Göttingen; Alemania

Fil: Greenleaf, Sarah S.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados Unidos

Fil: Holzschuh, Andrea. Universität Würzburg; Alemania. Universität Göttingen; Alemania

Fil: Isaacs, Rufus. Michigan State University; Estados Unidos

Fil: Krewenka, Kristin. Universität Göttingen; Alemania

Fil: Mandelik, Yael. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Israel

Fil: Mayfield, Margaret M.. University of Queensland; Australia

Fil: Morandin, Lora A.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados Unidos

Fil: Potts, Simon G.. University of Reading; Reino Unido

Fil: Ricketts, Taylor H.. Conservation Science Program; Estados Unidos

Fil: Szentgyörgyi, Hajnalka. Jagiellonian University; Polonia

Fil: Viana, Blandina F.. Universidade Federal da Bahia; Brasil

Fil: Westphal, Catrin. Universität Göttingen; Alemania

Fil: Winfree, Rachael. Rutgers University; Estados Unidos

Fil: Klein, Alexandra M.. Leuphana University of Lüneburg; Alemania