Authors:
Campbell, A.J., J.C. Biesmeijer, V. Varma and F.L. Wa_ckers
Publication Date:
2012
Abstract/Summary:
Beneficial insects in agro-ecosystems provide humans with many invaluable ecosystem services including crop pollination and pest control. The creation of wildflower strips has emerged as a key tool to conserve beneficial insect groups in these systems. Yet, the efficacy of these schemes in delivering multiple ecosystem services is usually limited by our poor understanding of how plant species composition, functional traits and trait diversity affect insect visitation and resource use. Here we investigate the effects of plant floral traits and trait diversity on flower visitation by three functionally distinct beneficial insect groups, which provide crop pollination and pest control services: bumblebees, hoverflies and parasitoid wasps.
Resource Type:
Peer-reviewed Article
Source:
Basic and Applied Ecology
Link:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S143917911200045X