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The effectiveness of flower strips and hedgerows on pest control, pollination services and crop yield: a quantitative synthesis
Author(s) -
Albrecht Matthias,
Kleijn David,
Williams Neal M.,
Tschumi Matthias,
Blaauw Brett R.,
Bommarco Riccardo,
Campbell Alistair J.,
Dainese Matteo,
Drummond Francis A.,
Entling Martin H.,
Ganser Dominik,
Arjen de Groot G.,
Goulson Dave,
Grab Heather,
Hamilton Hannah,
Herzog Felix,
Isaacs Rufus,
Jacot Katja,
Jeanneret Philippe,
Jonsson Mattias,
Knop Eva,
Kremen Claire,
Landis Douglas A.,
Loeb Gregory M.,
Marini Lorenzo,
McKerchar Megan,
Morandin Lora,
Pfister Sonja C.,
Potts Simon G.,
Rundlöf Maj,
Sardiñas Hillary,
Sciligo Amber,
Thies Carsten,
Tscharntke Teja,
Venturini Eric,
Veromann Eve,
Vollhardt Ines M.G.,
Wäckers Felix,
Ward Kimiora,
Westbury Duncan B.,
Wilby Andrew,
Woltz Megan,
Wratten Steve,
Sutter Louis
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.13576
Subject(s) - pollination , ecosystem services , agriculture , crop , biology , pest analysis , agronomy , pest control , agroforestry , perennial plant , yield (engineering) , crop yield , ecosystem , ecology , botany , pollen , materials science , metallurgy
Floral plantings are promoted to foster ecological intensification of agriculture through provisioning of ecosystem services. However, a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of different floral plantings, their characteristics and consequences for crop yield is lacking. Here we quantified the impacts of flower strips and hedgerows on pest control (18 studies) and pollination services (17 studies) in adjacent crops in North America, Europe and New Zealand. Flower strips, but not hedgerows, enhanced pest control services in adjacent fields by 16% on average. However, effects on crop pollination and yield were more variable. Our synthesis identifies several important drivers of variability in effectiveness of plantings: pollination services declined exponentially with distance from plantings, and perennial and older flower strips with higher flowering plant diversity enhanced pollination more effectively. These findings provide promising pathways to optimise floral plantings to more effectively contribute to ecosystem service delivery and ecological intensification of agriculture in the future.