Wild pollinators and honey bees in pollinator-friendly agricultural landscapes

GARIBALDI, LUCAS A.; KLEIN, ALEXANDRA M.

Conferencia; Bees without Borders conference series; 2022

FREETHEBEES

Pollinator diversity is being lost at an alarming rate. One of the main causes of this loss is the land-use change caused by the expansion of conventional agriculture and livestock production. Management practices such as monocultures and the intensive use of agrochemicals reduce the number of species of plants, birds, bees and other taxonomic groups, and increase, at the same time, the relative abundance (dominance) of one or a few cultivated and wild (e.g., weed) species. Given that ~40% of the terrestrial surface is occupied by crop and livestock lands, it is critical to increase food production without destroying pollinator diversity. In addition to the value given by its ethical and spiritual dimensions, and the potential use of future generations.Alexandra Klein will initially introduce why pollinator diversity is important to pollinate the food we are eating and give us a brief impression about the wonderful and much needed diversity of bees.Lucas Garibaldi will show how conventional (industrial) agriculture is reducing pollinator diversity and present actions that producers, consumers, politicians and scientists can take to restore pollinator diversity. For example, producers can implement management practices in- and outside the crop fields to increase floral and nesting resources, and therefore pollinator abundance and diversity. In addition, consumers can modify diets, reduce waste and produce food at small scales, among many other actions.Lucas and Alexandra will jointly conclude that one single strategy will not be enough to solve the dilemma of producing food and preserving biodiversity. To maintain pollinator diversity and their critical services we need a holistic approach engaging the whole society as we are close to tipping points when functions/services will collapse.