11 research outputs found
Intraspecific variation and palaeogeographic dispersal of the Mississippian miospore Reticulatisporites magnidictyus
August Krogh's theory of muscle microvascular control and oxygen delivery: a paradigm shift based on new data
Effect of High Temperature on Mineralogy, Microstructure, Shear Stiffness and Tensile Strength of Two Australian Mudstones
Changes in Mineralogy, Microstructure, Compressive Strength and Intrinsic Permeability of Two Sedimentary Rocks Subjected to High-Temperature Heating
Lignite coal burning seam in the remote Altai Mountains harbors a hydrogen-driven thermophilic microbial community
Gas-Phase Reactivity of Carbonate Ions with Sulfur Dioxide: an Experimental Study of Clusters Reactions
Almond orchards with living ground cover host more wild insect pollinators
Wild pollinators are becoming more valuable to global agriculture as the commercial honeybee industry is increasingly affected by disease and other stressors. Perennial tree crops are particularly reliant on insect pollination, and are often pollen limited. Research on how different tree crop production systems influence the richness and abundance of wild pollinators is, however, limited. We investigated, for the first time, the richness and abundance of potential wild pollinators in commercial temperate almond orchards in Australia, and compared them to potential pollinator communities in proximate native vegetation. We quantified ground cover variables at each site and assessed the value of ground cover on the richness and abundance of potential wild pollinators in commercial almond systems focussing on three common taxa: bees, wasps and flies. More insects were caught in orchards with living ground cover than in native vegetation or orchards without ground cover, although overall species richness was highest in native vegetation. Percent ground cover was positively associated with wasp richness and abundance, and native bee richness, but flies showed no association with ground cover. The strongest positive relationship was between native bee abundance and the richness of ground cover plants. Our results suggest that maintaining living ground cover within commercial almond orchards could provide habitat and resources for potential wild pollinators, particularly native bees. These insects have the potential to provide a valuable ecosystem service to pollinator-dependent crops such as almond