Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition
Abstract Declines in native bee populations can limit pollination services that support native plant communities and global food production. Mitigating the impacts on pollinators and ecosystems requires conservation actions that promote biodiversity and remain practical for producers. We investigate...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2019-01-01
|
| Series: | Ecosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2569 |
| _version_ | 1818062999890427904 |
|---|---|
| author | Cayla R. Bendel Katherine C. Kral‐O'Brien Torre J. Hovick Ryan F. Limb Jason P. Harmon |
| author_facet | Cayla R. Bendel Katherine C. Kral‐O'Brien Torre J. Hovick Ryan F. Limb Jason P. Harmon |
| author_sort | Cayla R. Bendel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Declines in native bee populations can limit pollination services that support native plant communities and global food production. Mitigating the impacts on pollinators and ecosystems requires conservation actions that promote biodiversity and remain practical for producers. We investigated plant–pollinator interaction networks in working grassland landscapes, managed for cattle production and biodiversity, to advance conservation of pollinators in grazed systems. We compared and plotted interactions at the network level. We then used a regression framework to evaluate the influence of floristic availability on pollinator abundance in our system. Overall, we detected seasonal shifts at the network level, with increased specialization between flowers and bees occurring at the end of the sampling season. Furthermore, the response to floristic resources differed between honey bees (Apis mellifera) and native bees. While honey bee abundance increased with exotic floral abundance, native bee abundance showed no relationship with floral abundance and instead was positively associated with floral richness in our system. These findings could be an indication of seasonal shifts in bee activity and interactions with plants or a response to the subset of available resources in grazed systems. These interpretations, along with the detected difference in resource use between honey bees and native bees, suggest foraging preferences differ between these two groups and could influence conservation and management strategies. Furthermore, it demonstrates a need to consider how management practices could influence bee communities differentially across the growing season and suggests conservation actions should promote native floristic resources to benefit native bees. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:13:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c77134e8f144527a1f87cf8b22ac5da |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:13:08Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c77134e8f144527a1f87cf8b22ac5da2022-12-22T01:45:25ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252019-01-01101n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.2569Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and compositionCayla R. Bendel0Katherine C. Kral‐O'Brien1Torre J. Hovick2Ryan F. Limb3Jason P. Harmon4Range Science Program North Dakota State University 1230 Albrecht Boulevard, 201 Morrill Hall Fargo North Dakota 58102USARange Science Program North Dakota State University 1230 Albrecht Boulevard, 201 Morrill Hall Fargo North Dakota 58102USARange Science Program North Dakota State University 1230 Albrecht Boulevard, 201 Morrill Hall Fargo North Dakota 58102USARange Science Program North Dakota State University 1230 Albrecht Boulevard, 201 Morrill Hall Fargo North Dakota 58102USADepartment of Entomology North Dakota State University 1300 Albrecht Boulevard, 202 Hultz Hall Fargo North Dakota 58102 USAAbstract Declines in native bee populations can limit pollination services that support native plant communities and global food production. Mitigating the impacts on pollinators and ecosystems requires conservation actions that promote biodiversity and remain practical for producers. We investigated plant–pollinator interaction networks in working grassland landscapes, managed for cattle production and biodiversity, to advance conservation of pollinators in grazed systems. We compared and plotted interactions at the network level. We then used a regression framework to evaluate the influence of floristic availability on pollinator abundance in our system. Overall, we detected seasonal shifts at the network level, with increased specialization between flowers and bees occurring at the end of the sampling season. Furthermore, the response to floristic resources differed between honey bees (Apis mellifera) and native bees. While honey bee abundance increased with exotic floral abundance, native bee abundance showed no relationship with floral abundance and instead was positively associated with floral richness in our system. These findings could be an indication of seasonal shifts in bee activity and interactions with plants or a response to the subset of available resources in grazed systems. These interpretations, along with the detected difference in resource use between honey bees and native bees, suggest foraging preferences differ between these two groups and could influence conservation and management strategies. Furthermore, it demonstrates a need to consider how management practices could influence bee communities differentially across the growing season and suggests conservation actions should promote native floristic resources to benefit native bees.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2569grassland ecologyinsect conservationnative beeplant–pollinator interactionsworking landscape |
| spellingShingle | Cayla R. Bendel Katherine C. Kral‐O'Brien Torre J. Hovick Ryan F. Limb Jason P. Harmon Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition Ecosphere grassland ecology insect conservation native bee plant–pollinator interactions working landscape |
| title | Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition |
| title_full | Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition |
| title_fullStr | Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition |
| title_short | Plant–pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition |
| title_sort | plant pollinator networks in grassland working landscapes reveal seasonal shifts in network structure and composition |
| topic | grassland ecology insect conservation native bee plant–pollinator interactions working landscape |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2569 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT caylarbendel plantpollinatornetworksingrasslandworkinglandscapesrevealseasonalshiftsinnetworkstructureandcomposition AT katherineckralobrien plantpollinatornetworksingrasslandworkinglandscapesrevealseasonalshiftsinnetworkstructureandcomposition AT torrejhovick plantpollinatornetworksingrasslandworkinglandscapesrevealseasonalshiftsinnetworkstructureandcomposition AT ryanflimb plantpollinatornetworksingrasslandworkinglandscapesrevealseasonalshiftsinnetworkstructureandcomposition AT jasonpharmon plantpollinatornetworksingrasslandworkinglandscapesrevealseasonalshiftsinnetworkstructureandcomposition |