| Category |
Text Publication |
| Reference Category |
Journals |
| DOI |
10.1111/1365-2664.70377
|
Licence  |
|
| Title (Primary) |
Seasonal mass‐flowering events dominate landscape effects on plant–pollinator network structure |
| Author |
Heuschele, J.M.; Schweiger, O.; Albrecht, M.; Felipe-Lucia, M.R.; Honchar, H.; Liu, Y.; Musche, M.; Paxton, R.J.; Settele, J.; Szentgyörgyi, H.; Vanbergen, A.J.; Wubet, T.
; Dominik, C.
|
| Source Titel |
Journal of Applied Ecology |
| Year |
2026 |
| Department |
BZF; NSF; iDiv; SIE |
| Volume |
53 |
| Issue |
4 |
| Page From |
e70377 |
| Language |
englisch |
| Topic |
T5 Future Landscapes |
| Data and Software links |
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.9s4mw6mxm |
| Supplements |
Supplement 1 |
| Keywords |
agrobiodiversity; mass-flowering crops; network analysis; plant–pollinator interactions; resource limitations; spatial configuration; temporal dynamics |
| Abstract |
- Agricultural landscapes feature marked seasonal
changes in the quality and quantity of habitats and floral resources
supporting pollinating insects. Seasonal dynamics can affect the
structure of plant–pollinator interactions, yet the relative importance
of both landscape elements with spatio-temporal dynamics and those
elements that are more static in space and time remains largely unknown.
Such an understanding is needed to identify resource-mediated
modifications of plant–pollinator network structures and their
functional and management implications.
- To understand the spatio-temporal effects of
landscape heterogeneity on the structure of plant–pollinator networks,
we sampled plant–pollinator (Apiformes—except Apis mellifera;
Syrphidae) communities over three seasonal periods in 12 landscapes in
central Germany. The landscapes comprised spatial gradients in the
proportion of semi-natural habitat cover and edge density. To assess
temporal changes, we evaluated the cover of mass-flowering crops in
bloom, floral diversity and honey bee density at each plant–pollinator
sampling event.
- Spatio-temporally dynamic characteristics,
particularly the cover of mass-flowering crops, were more important than
static characteristics in explaining variation in plant–pollinator
network structure across the three seasonal periods. The richness of
plants and pollinators was generally lower when the proportion of
mass-flowering crops was high. Under such conditions, networks were more
connected, with greater niche overlap among pollinators, and decreased
network specialization (H2′). Richness was higher in landscapes with
high edge density, with an increasing effect on network connectance up
to a certain threshold. The proportion of semi-natural habitat cover and
floral diversity had differential effects on the richness of plants and
pollinators, with strong effects on the dietary niche overlap of the
pollinators, potentially indicating a decrease in competition when
semi-natural habitat cover and flower diversity are high.
- Synthesis and application. To better support
plant–pollinator communities in agricultural-dominated landscapes, we
suggest incentivizing the planting of complementary floral resources and
preserving or restoring semi-natural habitat areas. Especially in
intensively used agroecosystems, the negative effects of mass-flowering
crops can be mitigated by maintaining flower-rich edge habitats and
relatively small field sizes, which help support plant and pollinator
communities, avoid potential negative effects of exploitative
competition, and ensure the sustainability of pollination services via
increased functional redundancy.
|
Heuschele, J.M., Schweiger, O., Albrecht, M., Felipe-Lucia, M.R., Honchar, H., Liu, Y., Musche, M., Paxton, R.J., Settele, J., Szentgyörgyi, H., Vanbergen, A.J., Wubet, T., Dominik, C. (2026):
Seasonal mass‐flowering events dominate landscape effects on plant–pollinator network structure
J. Appl. Ecol. 53 (4), e70377
10.1111/1365-2664.70377 |
