title: Pollination Reservoirs in Lowbush Blueberry (Ericales: Ericaceae).
abstract: Pollinator-dependent agriculture heavily relies upon a single pollinator-the honey bee. To diversify pollination strategies, growers are turning to alternatives. Densely planted reservoirs of pollen- and nectar-rich flowers (pollination reservoirs, hereafter "PRs") may improve pollination services provided by wild bees. Our focal agroecosystem, lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton), exists in a simple landscape uniquely positioned to benefit from PRs. First, we contrast bee visitation rates and use of three types of PR. We consider the effects of PRs on wild bee diversity and the composition of bumble bee pollen loads. We contrast field-level crop pollination services between PRs and controls four years postestablishment. Last, we calculate the time to pay for PR investment. Social bees preferentially used clover plantings; solitary bees preferentially used wildflower plantings. On average, bumble bee pollen loads in treatment fields contained 37% PR pollen. PRs significantly increased visitation rates to the crop in year 4, and exerted a marginally significant positive influence on fruit set. The annualized costs of PRs were covered by the fourth year using the measured increase in pollination services. Our findings provide evidence of the positive impact of PRs on crop pollination services.
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469 (Eric.Venturini@maine.edu; FDrummond@maine.edu; ADibble2@gmail.com).
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469 ( Eric.Venturini@maine.edu ; FDrummond@maine.edu ; ADibble2@gmail.com ).|University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 495 College Ave., Orono, ME 04469 ( Lois.Stack@maine.edu ).
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: School of Economics, University of Maine, 206 Winslow Hall, Orono, ME 04469 (Aaron_Hoshide@umit.maine.edu).
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Hoshide
authors.affiliation: School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469 (Eric.Venturini@maine.edu; FDrummond@maine.edu; ADibble2@gmail.com).
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Dibble
authors.affiliation: University of Maine Cooperative Extension, 495 College Ave., Orono, ME 04469 ( Lois.Stack@maine.edu ).|School of Food and Agriculture, University of Maine, 5722 Deering Hall, Orono, ME 04469.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Stack
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D044822:Biodiversity; D029798:Blueberry Plants / Q000502:physiology*; D035264:Flowers / Q000502:physiology; D008281:Maine; D054817:Pollination
keywords: agroecosystem; crop pollination; pollination reservoir; wild bee; wildflower planting