Article
Ecology
Casey M. Delphia, Kevin M. O'Neill, Laura A. Burkle
Summary: This study investigated the effects of wildflower strips on crop pollination on small, diversified farms and found that distance to wildflower strips did not affect bee visitation or pollination in crops. Some crops did not necessarily receive maximum pollination, regardless of distance from the wildflower strips.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominik Ganser, Matthias Albrecht, Eva Knop
Summary: Our study demonstrates that diverse wildflower strips can enhance the reproductive success of multiple solitary wild bee species, mitigating negative impacts of agricultural intensification by providing suitable floral resources and reducing foraging times. Smaller bee species benefit more from wildflower plantings compared to larger bee species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Alice Mockford, Duncan B. Westbury, Kate Ashbrook, Alberto Urbaneja, Alejandro Tena
Summary: The management of wildflower strips has a significant impact on the resource availability and utilization by parasitoids. Standard management prevents the seasonal decline of nectar and supports fructose feeding in parasitoids. It also increases the abundance of floral and hemipteran honeydew carbohydrate resources in the orchard alleyways, which is associated with an increased number of primary parasitoids. Additionally, greater carbohydrate feeding in parasitoids is associated with increased structural heterogeneity of vegetation within the orchard alleyways.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Zulin Mei, Gerard Arjen de Groot, David Kleijn, Wim Dimmers, Stijn van Gils, Dennis Lammertsma, Ruud van Kats, Jeroen Scheper
Summary: Wildflower strips did not significantly affect ground-dwelling natural enemies, aphids, or crop yield, but flower availability across wildflower strips and control margins was positively related to the abundance of natural enemies. Positive effects in the crop were observed over limited distances.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Alice Mockford, Alberto Urbaneja, Kate Ashbrook, Duncan B. Westbury
Summary: In order to support sustainable food production and ecosystem services, wildflower strips have become popular. However, they remain understudied in Mediterranean ecosystems, hindering their adoption. This study assessed the suitability of native perennial forbs and grass species for wildflower strips in commercial orchards and developed a seed mix for pest regulation services. The wildflower strips successfully increased plant species richness and resources for natural enemies.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Christopher T. McCullough, Gina M. Angelella, Megan E. O'Rourke
Summary: The study tested the effectiveness of wildflower plantings and semi-natural habitats in the landscape for promoting bee abundance and richness. Results showed that bee abundance was greater on farms with wildflower plantings and 20-30% semi-natural habitat in the landscape. Additionally, bee abundance and richness had nonlinear responses to increasing semi-natural habitat, with peak effects observed at approximately 40% of the landscape.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Gerald Henry, Kevin Tucker, Jay McCurdy
Summary: Wildflowers attract wildlife, increase pollinator habitat, and enhance landscape aesthetic value. Weed competition decreases wildflower establishment. Research investigated the tolerance of wildflower species to common herbicides, suggesting variability in tolerance across herbicides and species.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Annika Schmidt, Anita Kirmer, Niels Hellwig, Kathrin Kiehl, Sabine Tischew
Summary: The study found that perennial wildflower strips have significant potential to promote farmland biodiversity and related ecosystem services. Planting species-rich native seed mixtures can provide a diverse vegetation with abundant forb species. However, shading and grass cover have negative effects on the performance of the planted forbs.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Niels Hellwig, Lea F. Schubert, Anita Kirmer, Sabine Tischew, Petra Dieker
Summary: Agricultural systems in Central Europe have been redesigned in order to achieve maximum yields, resulting in homogeneous landscapes and habitat fragmentation. Perennial wildflower strips have been implemented as an agri-environmental measure to counteract these ecological consequences for wild bees and other pollinators. However, the effectiveness of these measures depends on the landscape context, and there is a lack of information about geodata sources and spatial scales relevant for analyzing landscape effects on wild bees.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Elena M. Gratton, Darin J. McNeil Jr, Christina M. Grozinger, Heather M. Hines
Summary: Bumble bees play important ecological roles, but their health and disease levels are impacted by human-induced changes in habitat. Studying the landscape of valleys and ridges in Pennsylvania, we found that habitat type and other landscape factors influence bee community composition and pathogen levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jamie Alison, Marc Botham, Lindsay C. Maskell, Angus Garbutt, Fiona M. Seaton, James Skates, Simon M. Smart, Amy R. C. Thomas, George Tordoff, Bronwen L. Williams, Claire M. Wood, Bridget A. Emmett
Summary: Pollinating insects provide economic value by improving crop yield and are functionally and culturally important across ecosystems. Studies have found that flower cover, woodland, hedgerows, and cropland are critical drivers of pollinator abundance in Wales.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Armin Bischoff, Anna Pollier, Yann Tricault, Manuel Plantegenest, Bruno Chauvel, Pierre Franck, Antoine Gardarin
Summary: Sowing wildflower strips in agri-environment schemes has been practiced in several European countries. While their positive effects on natural enemies of pest insects are well-documented, the extent of spill-over into crop fields and the adaptation of seed mixtures to regional climate differences have been less explored. This study conducted a multi-site experiment in different climatic regions in France to compare the effects of wildflower strips, grass mixtures, and spontaneous vegetation on plant biodiversity and natural enemies. The results showed that wildflower strips significantly increased plant species richness and flower cover compared to the other treatments. They also enhanced hoverfly abundance and aphid predation across all regions, indicating spill-over effects. However, ladybird abundance was not affected. The study concluded that similar mixtures of native plants can be used to improve biocontrol across large climatic gradients, but further research is needed to optimize spill-over into crop fields and achieve consistent effects in different climate zones.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jana A. Eccard
Summary: Biodiversity and wildlife abundance have significantly declined in agricultural landscapes. Wildflower (WF) strips along crop fields are commonly used to enhance biodiversity and provide habitat for wild plants and arthropods. However, their functionality decreases over time, posing ecological traps for certain species, and they are impacted by edge effects and pesticides. Combining WF strips of different successional stages into persistent, composite WF blocks can improve their performance by increasing species richness, reducing edge effects, and minimizing pesticide exposure.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Amanda J. Ashworth, Taylor Adams, Alayna Jacobs
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of ecological disturbances and seed mixtures on pollinator habitat and flowering period of CRP species mixtures, finding that different disturbance regimes influenced the percentage of flowering pollinator species among different seed mixtures. Pollinator mixtures could be harvested as lignocellulosic feedstock without damaging habitat, but considerations for seed mixtures and disturbance regimes should be based on long-term sustainable CRP pollinator habitat.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Zeus Mateos-Fierro, Michael P. D. Garratt, Michelle T. Fountain, Kate Ashbrook, Duncan B. Westbury
Summary: Sweet cherry production benefits from insect pollination, but the effect of wildflower strips on pollinator visitation under polytunnels is unclear. In this study, wildflowers were established under polytunnels in commercial cherry orchards, and their management methods were compared. Results showed that actively managed wildflower strips had the highest visitor density during the cherry blossom period, but no significant difference was observed in fruit yield. After anthesis, both wildflower treatments had greater visitor density, diversity, and richness compared to control strips. Pollinating insects were crucial for fruit yields, and hand pollination resulted in higher fruit set compared to natural pollination, indicating pollination deficits in control strips. This study highlights the importance of effective pollinator management in sweet cherry production and suggests that establishing and actively managing wildflowers can enhance pollination.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Mario S. Pinilla-Gallego, Wee Hao Ng, Victoria E. Amaral, Rebecca E. Irwin
Summary: The floral traits and species identity have different effects on the transmission process of bee parasites. Floral shape is an important predictor of transmission potential, while species identity is more suitable for predicting feces deposition and parasite survival. Identifying traits associated with transmission potential can help create safer pollinator habitats.
Article
Plant Sciences
Diane R. Campbell, Mary Price, Nickolas M. Waser, Rebecca E. Irwin, Alison K. Brody
Summary: Climate change can affect plant fitness and population persistence through both direct and indirect effects on biotic interactions. Pollination and seed predation are important biotic interactions that can impact plant growth, but their relative impact compared to direct climatic effects is still uncertain.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alison E. Fowler, Ben M. Sadd, Toby Bassingthwaite, Rebecca E. Irwin, Lynn S. Adler
Summary: Sunflower pollen does not significantly affect bee immune responses, suggesting that its medicinal effect does not involve these immune parameters in bees.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Gabriella L. Pardee, Sean R. Griffin, Michael Stemkovski, Tina Harrison, Zachary M. Portman, Melanie R. Kazenel, Joshua S. Lynn, David W. Inouye, Rebecca E. Irwin
Summary: This study found that the response of bee species to environmental changes is influenced by their life-history traits. Bees that are cavity nesters and have larger body sizes decline in abundance with increasing temperatures, while smaller, soil-nesting bees increase. Bees with narrower diet breadths increase in abundance with decreased rainfall. The reduced snowpack is associated with reduced abundance of bees that overwinter as prepupae, while bees that overwinter as adults increase. These findings show how climate change can reshape bee pollinator communities and alter plant-pollinator interactions and plant reproduction.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mary Ellen Stoykov, Olivia M. Biller, Alexandra Wax, Erin King, Jacob M. Schauer, Louis F. Fogg, Daniel M. Corcos
Summary: This study investigates the effects of bilateral motor priming in combination with task-specific training on motor impairment, bimanual motor function, and interhemispheric inhibition in stroke patients. The study uses a randomized controlled trial design with an experimental group receiving bilateral motor priming and a control group receiving a different priming technique. Outcome measures are collected at multiple time points.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adrian L. Carper, Paige S. Warren, Lynn S. Adler, Rebecca E. Irwin
Summary: This study investigates the impact of urbanization on the pollination and reproduction of bee-pollinated plants. The results suggest that despite the presence of more pollinators in urban areas, there is still pollen limitation for native plant reproduction in urban landscapes.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Michael Stemkovski, Rachel G. Dickson, Sean R. Griffin, Brian D. Inouye, David W. Inouye, Gabriella L. Pardee, Nora Underwood, Rebecca E. Irwin
Summary: This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of skewness in a bee community, and finds that both bee and flower phenologies tend to be right-skewed, with a more exaggerated asymmetry in bees. Early-season species tend to be the most skewed, and this relationship is also stronger in bees than in flowers. Differences in bee and flower skewness could account for up to 14% of pairwise overlap differences.
Article
Microbiology
Nicholas A. Barber, Desirae M. Klimek, Jennifer K. Bell, Wesley D. Swingley
Summary: The reintroduction of bison in restored prairies drives changes in soil microbial communities along a new successional trajectory. Restoration age and grazing by bison influence soil C:N ratio, pH, bacterial richness, and diversity. Older restorations with bison resemble bison-free sites in terms of composition, but become more distinct over time, while younger restorations with bison maintain unique compositions throughout the study.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Rebecca M. Prather, Rebecca M. Dalton, Billy Barr, Daniel T. Blumstein, Carol L. Boggs, Alison K. Brody, David W. Inouye, Rebecca E. Irwin, Julien G. A. Martin, Rosemary J. Smith, Dirk H. Van Vuren, Caitlin P. Wells, Howard H. Whiteman, Brian D. Inouye, Nora Underwood
Summary: Climate can influence the timing of life events. Studies from around the world show that climate cues and species' responses can vary. We collected data on phenological events for multiple species in a high-elevation environment over 45 years and found significant variation in how climate affects phenology across taxa. Comparing the phenological responses of different taxa at a single location, we found that important cues often differ among species, which suggests that climate change may disrupt the synchrony of timing among taxa.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jacob M. Heiling, Rebecca E. Irwin, William F. Morris
Summary: Pollen-rewarding plants face the conflict between preventing consumptive emasculation and attracting pollen-collecting visitors. The optimal balance is achieved by producing intermediate-sized pollen packages.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jonathan J. Giacomini, Lynn S. Adler, Benjamin J. Reading, Rebecca E. Irwin
Summary: This study investigates the effect of sunflower pollen consumption on the gene expression and immune response of bumble bees infected with the gut protozoan pathogen Crithidia bombi. The results show that sunflower pollen upregulates immune transcripts and promotes the repair and maintenance of gut epithelial cells, while also inducing a strong detoxification response. This research contributes to our understanding of plant-pollinator interactions and offers insights for the management of bee pathogens.
Article
Entomology
James P. Strange, Amber D. Tripodi, Craig Huntzinger, Joyce Knoblett, Ellen Klinger, James D. Herndon, Hoang Q. Vuong, Quinn S. McFrederick, Rebecca E. Irwin, Jay D. Evans, Jonathan J. Giacomini, Robert Ward, Lynn S. Adler
Summary: Pollen is an essential component of bee diets, but there is currently no artificial diet or economical method for large-scale pollen collection from flowers. The provenance of honey bee-collected pollen is often unknown and may cross international borders. This study tested three sterilization methods and found that ethylene oxide fumigation had the highest sterilizing properties under commercial conditions while maintaining palatability and supporting bee development.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Rosemary L. Malfi, Quinn S. McFrederick, Giselle Lozano, Rebecca E. Irwin, Lynn S. Adler
Summary: Community diversity can impact disease dynamics, and sunflower plantings have been found to reduce prevalence of a common gut pathogen and increase reproduction in bumblebee colonies. Sunflower abundance was positively associated with decreased infection intensity of the pathogen and higher queen production in colonies. This study highlights the potential of using sunflower plantings as a tool for mitigating pathogens and promoting the reproduction of agriculturally important bee species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Katharine F. E. Hogan, Holly P. Jones, Kirstie Savage, Angela M. Burke, Peter W. Guiden, Sheryl C. Hosler, Erin Rowland-Schaefer, Nicholas A. Barber
Summary: In the midst of the biodiversity crisis, understanding the impacts of species losses and gains on ecosystem functions is crucial. This research highlights the importance of re-establishing historical disturbance regimes when restoring endangered prairie ecosystems and their ecological function.
Article
Microbiology
Cayla N. Mason, Shayla Shahar, Kendall K. Beals, Scott T. Kelley, David A. Lipson, Wesley D. Swingley, Nicholas A. Barber
Summary: Restoring ecosystems requires the re-establishment of diverse soil microbial communities. Disturbances such as fire and grazing can shape microbial composition. A study found that restored soil communities differed from agricultural and original remnant soils in both taxonomic and functional diversity and composition. Fire management increased functional diversity, and recent restorations had higher functional diversity. Restored prairie soils had diverse microbial communities that were distinct from agricultural soils but did not match original prairie remnants.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)