Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada
Recently, the Yukon has seen a large growth in agricultural activity. Crops of commercial interest for local consumption and the export market include domestic berries, especially haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.). However, information on the pollination of these crops in our northern climate is lacking...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2019-12-01
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| Series: | Open Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2019-0067 |
| _version_ | 1819095958519021568 |
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| author | Leung Maria C.-Y. Forrest Jessica R.K. |
| author_facet | Leung Maria C.-Y. Forrest Jessica R.K. |
| author_sort | Leung Maria C.-Y. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recently, the Yukon has seen a large growth in agricultural activity. Crops of commercial interest for local consumption and the export market include domestic berries, especially haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.). However, information on the pollination of these crops in our northern climate is lacking. To begin addressing this knowledge gap, we characterized foraging habits of on-farm bees in southwest Yukon by: 1) identifying pollen collected by bees occupying solitary bee houses; and 2) identifying and counting insect visitors to haskap flowers. Results show that cavity-nesting bees collect a wide variety of pollen including pollen from haskap, and that bumble bees (Bombus spp.) were much more common on haskap flowers than domestic honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), other bee species, syrphid flies, and butterflies. The number of bumble bees per haskap flower was also higher than reported elsewhere in Canada. The ability of bumble bees to be active in cool temperatures and the proximity of the study farms to natural ecosystems likely explain the prevalence of bumble bees in this study. In Yukon, it is still possible to support insect pollinators by maintaining natural areas among agricultural lands. Such undeveloped lands are, at present, typical of agricultural landscapes in subarctic Canada. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:51:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d8d80ab4317a4e729b13d9510dfecb2c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2391-9531 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T23:51:34Z |
| publishDate | 2019-12-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-d8d80ab4317a4e729b13d9510dfecb2c2022-12-21T18:45:55ZengDe GruyterOpen Agriculture2391-95312019-12-014167668310.1515/opag-2019-0067opag-2019-0067Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic CanadaLeung Maria C.-Y.0Forrest Jessica R.K.1Wild Tracks Ecological Consulting, 39 Harbottle Rd., Whitehorse, Yukon, CanadaY1A 5T2University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaK1N 6N5Recently, the Yukon has seen a large growth in agricultural activity. Crops of commercial interest for local consumption and the export market include domestic berries, especially haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.). However, information on the pollination of these crops in our northern climate is lacking. To begin addressing this knowledge gap, we characterized foraging habits of on-farm bees in southwest Yukon by: 1) identifying pollen collected by bees occupying solitary bee houses; and 2) identifying and counting insect visitors to haskap flowers. Results show that cavity-nesting bees collect a wide variety of pollen including pollen from haskap, and that bumble bees (Bombus spp.) were much more common on haskap flowers than domestic honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), other bee species, syrphid flies, and butterflies. The number of bumble bees per haskap flower was also higher than reported elsewhere in Canada. The ability of bumble bees to be active in cool temperatures and the proximity of the study farms to natural ecosystems likely explain the prevalence of bumble bees in this study. In Yukon, it is still possible to support insect pollinators by maintaining natural areas among agricultural lands. Such undeveloped lands are, at present, typical of agricultural landscapes in subarctic Canada.https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2019-0067bumble beehoney beepollinationsolitary beeberry |
| spellingShingle | Leung Maria C.-Y. Forrest Jessica R.K. Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada Open Agriculture bumble bee honey bee pollination solitary bee berry |
| title | Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada |
| title_full | Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada |
| title_fullStr | Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada |
| title_short | Insect pollinators of haskap (Lonicera caerulea L.: Caprifoliaceae) in subarctic Canada |
| title_sort | insect pollinators of haskap lonicera caerulea l caprifoliaceae in subarctic canada |
| topic | bumble bee honey bee pollination solitary bee berry |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2019-0067 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT leungmariacy insectpollinatorsofhaskaploniceracaerulealcaprifoliaceaeinsubarcticcanada AT forrestjessicark insectpollinatorsofhaskaploniceracaerulealcaprifoliaceaeinsubarcticcanada |