Meta-analysis reveals that pollinator functional diversity and abundance enhance crop pollination and yield

B. A. Woodcock (), M. P. D. Garratt, G. D. Powney, R. F. Shaw, J. L. Osborne, J. Soroka, S. A. M. Lindström, D. Stanley, P. Ouvrard, M. E. Edwards, F. Jauker, M. E. McCracken, Y. Zou, S. G. Potts, M. Rundlöf, J. A. Noriega, A. Greenop, H. G. Smith, R. Bommarco, W. Werf, J. C. Stout, I. Steffan-Dewenter, L. Morandin, J. M. Bullock and R. F. Pywell
Additional contact information
B. A. Woodcock: NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford
M. P. D. Garratt: University of Reading
G. D. Powney: NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford
R. F. Shaw: University of Exeter
J. L. Osborne: University of Exeter
J. Soroka: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/Government of Canada
S. A. M. Lindström: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
D. Stanley: National University of Ireland
P. Ouvrard: University Catholique do Louvain, ELIA
M. E. Edwards: Leaside, Carron Lane
F. Jauker: Justus Liebig University
M. E. McCracken: NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford
Y. Zou: Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
S. G. Potts: University of Reading
M. Rundlöf: Lund University
J. A. Noriega: National Museum of Natural Science
A. Greenop: NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford
H. G. Smith: Lund University
R. Bommarco: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
W. Werf: Wageningen University
J. C. Stout: Trinity College Dublin
I. Steffan-Dewenter: University of Würzburg
L. Morandin: Pollinator Partnership Canada
J. M. Bullock: NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford
R. F. Pywell: NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Crowmarsh Gifford

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract How insects promote crop pollination remains poorly understood in terms of the contribution of functional trait differences between species. We used meta-analyses to test for correlations between community abundance, species richness and functional trait metrics with oilseed rape yield, a globally important crop. While overall abundance is consistently important in predicting yield, functional divergence between species traits also showed a positive correlation. This result supports the complementarity hypothesis that pollination function is maintained by non-overlapping trait distributions. In artificially constructed communities (mesocosms), species richness is positively correlated with yield, although this effect is not seen under field conditions. As traits of the dominant species do not predict yield above that attributed to the effect of abundance alone, we find no evidence in support of the mass ratio hypothesis. Management practices increasing not just pollinator abundance, but also functional divergence, could benefit oilseed rape agriculture.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09393-6

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