Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island
Intensive agricultural practices leading to habitat degradation represent a major threat to pollinators. Diverse management practices are expected to influence wild pollinator abundance and richness on farms, although their effect in perennial crops is still unclear. In this study, we assessed the i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/351 |
| _version_ | 1797566119345651712 |
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| author | Adara Pardo David H. Lopes Natalia Fierro Paulo A. V. Borges |
| author_facet | Adara Pardo David H. Lopes Natalia Fierro Paulo A. V. Borges |
| author_sort | Adara Pardo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Intensive agricultural practices leading to habitat degradation represent a major threat to pollinators. Diverse management practices are expected to influence wild pollinator abundance and richness on farms, although their effect in perennial crops is still unclear. In this study, we assessed the impact of management on apple (<i>Malus domestica</i>) pollination on an oceanic island, by comparing conventional (with and without herbicide application) and organic apple orchards. Pollinator visitation and pan trap surveys were carried out in six apple orchards in Terceira Island (Azores) and the landscape composition surrounding orchards was characterized. We also quantified fruit set, seed set and apple weight. We found no significant effect of management on insect visitation rates, whereas there was a negative association with increasing surrounding agricultural land. In contrast, management had an effect on species abundance, richness and diversity at the orchard level. Conventional orchards without herbicides showed higher abundance than the rest, but lower richness and diversity than conventional orchards with herbicides. Management had an effect on fruit set, but not on seed set or fruit weight. Our results suggest that management alone is insufficient for the overall improvement of apple pollination on an oceanic island, while landscape composition may play a relevant role. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:22:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d95f86e90ee245b29bc8e9e6712fa549 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:22:13Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-d95f86e90ee245b29bc8e9e6712fa5492023-11-20T02:53:29ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502020-06-0111635110.3390/insects11060351Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic IslandAdara Pardo0David H. Lopes1Natalia Fierro2Paulo A. V. Borges3cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Universidade dos Açores, PT-9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, PortugalcE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Universidade dos Açores, PT-9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, PortugalcE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Universidade dos Açores, PT-9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, PortugalcE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Universidade dos Açores, PT-9700-042 Angra do Heroísmo, Açores, PortugalIntensive agricultural practices leading to habitat degradation represent a major threat to pollinators. Diverse management practices are expected to influence wild pollinator abundance and richness on farms, although their effect in perennial crops is still unclear. In this study, we assessed the impact of management on apple (<i>Malus domestica</i>) pollination on an oceanic island, by comparing conventional (with and without herbicide application) and organic apple orchards. Pollinator visitation and pan trap surveys were carried out in six apple orchards in Terceira Island (Azores) and the landscape composition surrounding orchards was characterized. We also quantified fruit set, seed set and apple weight. We found no significant effect of management on insect visitation rates, whereas there was a negative association with increasing surrounding agricultural land. In contrast, management had an effect on species abundance, richness and diversity at the orchard level. Conventional orchards without herbicides showed higher abundance than the rest, but lower richness and diversity than conventional orchards with herbicides. Management had an effect on fruit set, but not on seed set or fruit weight. Our results suggest that management alone is insufficient for the overall improvement of apple pollination on an oceanic island, while landscape composition may play a relevant role.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/351conventional farmingdipteraherbaceous coverhymenopterainsect visitation<i>Malus domestica</i> |
| spellingShingle | Adara Pardo David H. Lopes Natalia Fierro Paulo A. V. Borges Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island Insects conventional farming diptera herbaceous cover hymenoptera insect visitation <i>Malus domestica</i> |
| title | Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island |
| title_full | Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island |
| title_fullStr | Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island |
| title_full_unstemmed | Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island |
| title_short | Limited Effect of Management on Apple Pollination: A Case Study from an Oceanic Island |
| title_sort | limited effect of management on apple pollination a case study from an oceanic island |
| topic | conventional farming diptera herbaceous cover hymenoptera insect visitation <i>Malus domestica</i> |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/11/6/351 |
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