Abstract

Recent reports indicate that global insect populations are drastically declining, and amongst insects, bees have attracted significant attention. Decades of research on causal factors for bee population declines, indicate that extensive loss of natural habitats resulting from urbanization and agricultural intensification, has led to a dearth of critical nesting and forage resources essential for the sustenance of bees. To address these concerns and to meet the growing need for food production, simple but effective farm management practices such as restoring habitat diversity through planting pollinator habitats along field margins and underutilized areas, revegetating retired farmland with wildflowers and including pollinator-friendly forbs in cover crop mixes, have been recommended. Earlier studies have provided evidence that planting pollinator habitats along field margins and revegetating retired farmland are indeed viable ways to sustain bee pollinators. Here we report results of a case study exploring the benefits of cover cropping with a pollinator-friendly forb mix. Our results indicate that cover cropping to support pollinators can be effective, particularly when cover crops are retained until the flowering stage and that grazing of cover crops could extend support to those genera of bees that prefer grazed areas. Although the reports on global insect declines are dire, our studies show that pollinator-friendly farm management practices can offset the declines and play a significant role in supporting pollinator populations. Regular assessment of the efficacy of these practices will enable us to target efforts towards better implementation of habitat conservation programs.

中文翻译：

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如果您进行构建，它们就会来临—基于农业生态系统的管理实践将为授粉媒介提供支持

摘要

最近的报告表明，全球昆虫种群急剧减少，在昆虫中，蜜蜂引起了极大的关注。关于蜜蜂种群减少的因果因素的数十年研究表明，由于城市化和农业集约化而导致的自然栖息地的大量丧失，导致缺少养蜂所必需的关键巢穴和饲草资源。为了解决这些问题并满足不断增长的粮食生产需求，简单而有效的农场管理做法，例如通过在田间边缘和利用不足的地区种植授粉媒介栖息地来恢复栖息地多样性，用野花重新种植已退耕的农田，并在覆盖作物中包括对传粉媒介友好的前叉混合，已被推荐。较早的研究提供了证据，证明在田间边缘种植授粉媒介栖息地和对退耕地进行植被恢复确实是维持蜜蜂授粉媒介的可行方法。在这里，我们报告了一个案例研究的结果，该案例探索了使用授粉媒介友好的前茬混种进行表皮作物种植的好处。我们的结果表明，覆盖作物支持传粉者是有效的，特别是当覆盖作物保留到开花期时，覆盖作物的放牧可以将支持范围扩大到那些喜欢放牧的蜜蜂。尽管有关全球昆虫数量下降的报道令人震惊，但我们的研究表明，对传粉媒介友好的农场管理做法可以抵消这种下降，并在支持传粉媒介种群方面发挥重要作用。