Author
Virginie Boreux
Other affiliations: ETH Zurich, Lüneburg University
Bio: Virginie Boreux is an academic researcher from University of Freiburg. The author has contributed to research in topics: Pollination & Pollinator. The author has an hindex of 15, co-authored 24 publications receiving 2408 citations. Previous affiliations of Virginie Boreux include ETH Zurich & Lüneburg University.
Papers
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National University of Río Negro1, University of Würzburg2, Rutgers University3, National University of Comahue4, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences5, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation6, University of California, Berkeley7, University of Leeds8, Naturalis9, University of Calgary10, Hebrew University of Jerusalem11, Lüneburg University12, ETH Zurich13, National University of Tucumán14, Federal University of Ceará15, Federal University of Bahia16, Plant & Food Research17, Michigan State University18, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada19, The Nature Conservancy20, University of Göttingen21, University of Queensland22, Cornell University23, University of Reading24, Stockholm University25, University of Vermont26, Lund University27, University of Bern28, University of Koblenz and Landau29, Jagiellonian University30, Universidad de las Américas Puebla31, University of California, Davis32
TL;DR: Overall, wild insects pollinated crops more effectively; an increase in wild insect visitation enhanced fruit set by twice as much as an equivalent increase in honey bee visitation.
Abstract: The diversity and abundance of wild insect pollinators have declined in many agricultural landscapes. Whether such declines reduce crop yields, or are mitigated by managed pollinators such as honey bees, is unclear. We found universally positive associations of fruit set with flower visitation by wild insects in 41 crop systems worldwide. In contrast, fruit set increased significantly with flower visitation by honey bees in only 14% of the systems surveyed. Overall, wild insects pollinated crops more effectively; an increase in wild insect visitation enhanced fruit set by twice as much as an equivalent increase in honey bee visitation. Visitation by wild insects and honey bees promoted fruit set independently, so pollination by managed honey bees supplemented, rather than substituted for, pollination by wild insects. Our results suggest that new practices for integrated management of both honey bees and diverse wild insect assemblages will enhance global crop yields.
1,881 citations
University of Würzburg1, National University of Comahue2, Spanish National Research Council3, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences4, Universidade Federal de Goiás5, University of Lisbon6, Stanford University7, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation8, National University of Río Negro9, ETH Zurich10, Cornell University11, University of California, Davis12, The Nature Conservancy13, Wageningen University and Research Centre14, University of British Columbia15, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center16, University of California, Santa Cruz17, University of Padua18, University of New England (Australia)19, Lund University20, University of Göttingen21, Institut national de la recherche agronomique22, University of La Rochelle23, Federal University of Ceará24, University of Freiburg25, Concordia University Wisconsin26, University of Belgrade27, National University of Tucumán28, Michigan State University29, University of Brasília30, University of Greenwich31, University of Reading32, University of Wisconsin-Madison33, National Institute of Amazonian Research34, Boise State University35, University of Texas at Austin36, University of Haifa37, Kansas State University38, University of Hamburg39, Bioversity International40, University of California, Santa Barbara41, Seattle University42, University of Vienna43, University of Florida44, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza45, National Audubon Society46, University of Buenos Aires47, Virginia Tech48, University of Bordeaux49, University of Auckland50, University of California, Berkeley51, University College Dublin52, Trinity College, Dublin53, University of Tokyo54, Federal University of Bahia55, Lincoln University (New Zealand)56, National Institute for Environmental Studies57, International Food Policy Research Institute58, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University59
TL;DR: Using a global database from 89 studies (with 1475 locations), the relative importance of species richness, abundance, and dominance for pollination; biological pest control; and final yields in the context of ongoing land-use change is partitioned.
Abstract: Human land use threatens global biodiversity and compromises multiple ecosystem functions critical to food production. Whether crop yield-related ecosystem services can be maintained by a few dominant species or rely on high richness remains unclear. Using a global database from 89 studies (with 1475 locations), we partition the relative importance of species richness, abundance, and dominance for pollination; biological pest control; and final yields in the context of ongoing land-use change. Pollinator and enemy richness directly supported ecosystem services in addition to and independent of abundance and dominance. Up to 50% of the negative effects of landscape simplification on ecosystem services was due to richness losses of service-providing organisms, with negative consequences for crop yields. Maintaining the biodiversity of ecosystem service providers is therefore vital to sustain the flow of key agroecosystem benefits to society.
434 citations
University of Würzburg1, National University of Comahue2, Spanish National Research Council3, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences4, University of Lisbon5, Universidade Federal de Goiás6, Stanford University7, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation8, National University of Río Negro9, ETH Zurich10, Cornell University11, University of California, Davis12, The Nature Conservancy13, Wageningen University and Research Centre14, University of British Columbia15, Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center16, University of California, Berkeley17, University of Padua18, University of New England (United States)19, Lund University20, University of Göttingen21, University of La Rochelle22, Institut national de la recherche agronomique23, Federal University of Ceará24, Concordia University Wisconsin25, University of Belgrade26, National University of Tucumán27, Michigan State University28, University of Brasília29, University of Greenwich30, University of Reading31, University of Wisconsin-Madison32, Boise State University33, University of Texas at Austin34, University of Haifa35, Kansas State University36, University of Freiburg37, University of Hamburg38, University of California, Santa Barbara39, Seattle University40, University of Vienna41, University of Florida42, Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza43, National Audubon Society44, University of Buenos Aires45, Virginia Tech46, University of Bordeaux47, University of Auckland48, University College Dublin49, Trinity College, Dublin50, University of Tokyo51, Federal University of Bahia52, Lincoln University (Pennsylvania)53, National Institute for Environmental Studies54, International Food Policy Research Institute55, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University56
TL;DR: Using a global database from 89 crop systems, the relative importance of abundance and species richness for pollination, biological pest control and final yields in the context of on-going land-use change is partitioned.
Abstract: Human land use threatens global biodiversity and compromises multiple ecosystem functions critical to food production. Whether crop yield-related ecosystem services can be maintained by few abundant species or rely on high richness remains unclear. Using a global database from 89 crop systems, we partition the relative importance of abundance and species richness for pollination, biological pest control and final yields in the context of on-going land-use change. Pollinator and enemy richness directly supported ecosystem services independent of abundance. Up to 50% of the negative effects of landscape simplification on ecosystem services was due to richness losses of service-providing organisms, with negative consequences for crop yields. Maintaining the biodiversity of ecosystem service providers is therefore vital to sustain the flow of key agroecosystem benefits to society.
237 citations
National University of Río Negro1, Spanish National Research Council2, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences3, University of Freiburg4, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation5, National University of Comahue6, University of Reading7, University of Brasília8, University of Leeds9, Naturalis10, University of California, Berkeley11, University of Bern12, University of Koblenz and Landau13, National University of Tucumán14, Federal University of Ceará15, University of Würzburg16, University of Göttingen17, Lund University18, University of Hamburg19, ETH Zurich20, University of Queensland21, Cornell University22, University of Vermont23, Central University of Kerala24, Universidad de las Américas Puebla25, Federal University of Bahia26, Jagiellonian University27
TL;DR: Pollinator species with traits matching those of the focal crop, as well as the enhancement of pollinator richness and evenness, will increase crop yield beyond current practices, and field practitioners can predict and manage agroecosystems for pollination services based on knowledge of just a few traits that are known for a wide range of flower visitor species.
Abstract: Fil: Garibaldi, Lucas Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro. Sede Andina; Argentina
140 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that pollination services matter, but managing the asynchrony of flowering was a more effective tool for securing good pollination than maintaining high shade tree densities as pollinator habitat.
Abstract: Crop productivity is improved by ecosystem services, including pollination, but this should be set in the context of trade-offs among multiple management practices. We investigated the impact of pollination services on coffee production, considering variation in fertilization, irrigation, shade cover, and environmental variables such as rainfall (which stimulates coffee flowering across all plantations), soil pH, and nitrogen availability. After accounting for management interventions, bee abundance improved coffee production (number of berries harvested). Some management interventions, such as irrigation, used once to trigger asynchronous flowering, dramatically increased bee abundance at coffee trees. Others, such as the extent and type of tree cover, revealed interacting effects on pollination and, ultimately, crop production. The effects of management interventions, notably irrigation and addition of lime, had, however, far more substantial positive effects on coffee production than tree cover. These results suggest that pollination services matter, but managing the asynchrony of flowering was a more effective tool for securing good pollination than maintaining high shade tree densities as pollinator habitat. Complex interactions across farm and landscape scales, including both management practices and environmental conditions, shape pollination outcomes. Effective production systems therefore require the integrated consideration of management practices in the context of the surrounding habitat structure. This paper points toward a more strategic use of ecosystem services in agricultural systems, where ecosystem services are shaped by the coupling of management interventions and environmental variables.
123 citations
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TL;DR: The stresses bees are experiencing from climate change, infectious diseases, and insecticides are reviewed, with concern that the authors may be nearing a “pollination crisis” in which crop yields begin to fall.
Abstract: Bees are subject to numerous pressures in the modern world. The abundance and diversity of flowers has declined, bees are chronically exposed to cocktails of agrochemicals, and they are simultaneously exposed to novel parasites accidentally spread by humans. Climate change is likely to exacerbate these problems in the future. Stressors do not act in isolation; for example pesticide exposure can impair both detoxification mechanisms and immune responses, rendering bees more susceptible to parasites. It seems certain that chronic exposure to multiple, interacting stressors is driving honey bee colony losses and declines of wild pollinators, but such interactions are not addressed by current regulatory procedures and studying these interactions experimentally poses a major challenge. In the meantime, taking steps to reduce stress on bees would seem prudent; incorporating flower-rich habitat into farmland, reducing pesticide use through adopting more sustainable farming methods, and enforcing effective quarantine measures on bee movements are all practical measures that should be adopted. Effective monitoring of wild pollinator populations is urgently needed to inform management strategies into the future.
2,526 citations
National University of Río Negro1, University of Würzburg2, Rutgers University3, National University of Comahue4, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences5, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation6, University of California, Berkeley7, University of Leeds8, Naturalis9, University of Calgary10, Hebrew University of Jerusalem11, Lüneburg University12, ETH Zurich13, National University of Tucumán14, Federal University of Ceará15, Federal University of Bahia16, Plant & Food Research17, Michigan State University18, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada19, The Nature Conservancy20, University of Göttingen21, University of Queensland22, Cornell University23, University of Reading24, Stockholm University25, University of Vermont26, Lund University27, University of Koblenz and Landau28, University of Bern29, Jagiellonian University30, Universidad de las Américas Puebla31, University of California, Davis32
TL;DR: Overall, wild insects pollinated crops more effectively; an increase in wild insect visitation enhanced fruit set by twice as much as an equivalent increase in honey bee visitation.
Abstract: The diversity and abundance of wild insect pollinators have declined in many agricultural landscapes. Whether such declines reduce crop yields, or are mitigated by managed pollinators such as honey bees, is unclear. We found universally positive associations of fruit set with flower visitation by wild insects in 41 crop systems worldwide. In contrast, fruit set increased significantly with flower visitation by honey bees in only 14% of the systems surveyed. Overall, wild insects pollinated crops more effectively; an increase in wild insect visitation enhanced fruit set by twice as much as an equivalent increase in honey bee visitation. Visitation by wild insects and honey bees promoted fruit set independently, so pollination by managed honey bees supplemented, rather than substituted for, pollination by wild insects. Our results suggest that new practices for integrated management of both honey bees and diverse wild insect assemblages will enhance global crop yields.
1,881 citations
TL;DR: There are well-documented declines in some wild and managed pollinators in several regions of the world, however, many effective policy and management responses can be implemented to safeguard pollinators and sustain pollination services.
Abstract: Wild and managed pollinators provide a wide range of benefits to society in terms of contributions to food security, farmer and beekeeper livelihoods, social and cultural values, as well as the maintenance of wider biodiversity and ecosystem stability. Pollinators face numerous threats, including changes in land-use and management intensity, climate change, pesticides and genetically modified crops, pollinator management and pathogens, and invasive alien species. There are well-documented declines in some wild and managed pollinators in several regions of the world. However, many effective policy and management responses can be implemented to safeguard pollinators and sustain pollination services.
1,121 citations
TL;DR: Key priorities are to improve technologies and policies that promote more ecologically efficient food production while optimizing the allocation of lands to conservation and agriculture.
Abstract: The human population is projected to reach 11 billion this century, with the greatest increases in tropical developing nations. This growth, in concert with rising per-capita consumption, will require large increases in food and biofuel production. How will these megatrends affect tropical terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity? We foresee (i) major expansion and intensification of tropical agriculture, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa and South America; (ii) continuing rapid loss and alteration of tropical old-growth forests, woodlands, and semi-arid environments; (iii) a pivotal role for new roadways in determining the spatial extent of agriculture; and (iv) intensified conflicts between food production and nature conservation. Key priorities are to improve technologies and policies that promote more ecologically efficient food production while optimizing the allocation of lands to conservation and agriculture.
1,066 citations