Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden
Abstract The extent to which weeds in arable land are useful to pollinators depends in part on the temporal pattern of flowering and insect flight activity. We compiled citizen science data on 54 bees and hoverflies typical of agricultural areas in southern Sweden, as well as 24 flowering weed speci...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11725 |
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| author | Per Milberg Markus Franzen Amanda Karpaty Wickbom Sabine Svelander Victor Johansson |
| author_facet | Per Milberg Markus Franzen Amanda Karpaty Wickbom Sabine Svelander Victor Johansson |
| author_sort | Per Milberg |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The extent to which weeds in arable land are useful to pollinators depends in part on the temporal pattern of flowering and insect flight activity. We compiled citizen science data on 54 bees and hoverflies typical of agricultural areas in southern Sweden, as well as 24 flowering weed species classified as pollinator‐friendly in the sense that they provide nectar and/or pollen to pollinators. The flight periods of the bees and hoverflies varied greatly, but there were also some consistent differences between the four groups studied. The first group to fly were the early flying solitary bees (7 species), followed by the social bees (18 species). In contrast, other solitary bees (11 species) and hoverflies (22 species) flew later in the summer. Solitary bees had the shortest flight periods, while social bees and hoverflies had longer flight periods. Flowering of weed species also varied greatly between species, with weeds classified as winter annuals (e.g., germinating in autumn) starting early together with germination generalists (species that can germinate in both autumn and spring). Summer annuals (spring germinators) and perennials started flowering about a month later. Germination generalists had a much longer flowering period than the others. Weekly pollinator records were in most cases significantly explained by weed records. Apart from early flying solitary bees, all models showed strong positive relationships. The overall best explanatory variable was the total number of weeds, with a weight assigned to each species based on its potential as a nectar/pollen source. This suggests that agricultural weeds in Sweden provide a continuous potential supply of nectar and pollen throughout the flight season of most pollinators. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aa52681e2cc54293863cb90ad7c80f73 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-aa52681e2cc54293863cb90ad7c80f732025-08-20T02:50:48ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582024-07-01147n/an/a10.1002/ece3.11725Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in SwedenPer Milberg0Markus Franzen1Amanda Karpaty Wickbom2Sabine Svelander3Victor Johansson4IFM Biology, Conservation Ecology Group Linköping University Linköping SwedenIFM Biology, Conservation Ecology Group Linköping University Linköping SwedenIFM Biology, Conservation Ecology Group Linköping University Linköping SwedenIFM Biology, Conservation Ecology Group Linköping University Linköping SwedenIFM Biology, Conservation Ecology Group Linköping University Linköping SwedenAbstract The extent to which weeds in arable land are useful to pollinators depends in part on the temporal pattern of flowering and insect flight activity. We compiled citizen science data on 54 bees and hoverflies typical of agricultural areas in southern Sweden, as well as 24 flowering weed species classified as pollinator‐friendly in the sense that they provide nectar and/or pollen to pollinators. The flight periods of the bees and hoverflies varied greatly, but there were also some consistent differences between the four groups studied. The first group to fly were the early flying solitary bees (7 species), followed by the social bees (18 species). In contrast, other solitary bees (11 species) and hoverflies (22 species) flew later in the summer. Solitary bees had the shortest flight periods, while social bees and hoverflies had longer flight periods. Flowering of weed species also varied greatly between species, with weeds classified as winter annuals (e.g., germinating in autumn) starting early together with germination generalists (species that can germinate in both autumn and spring). Summer annuals (spring germinators) and perennials started flowering about a month later. Germination generalists had a much longer flowering period than the others. Weekly pollinator records were in most cases significantly explained by weed records. Apart from early flying solitary bees, all models showed strong positive relationships. The overall best explanatory variable was the total number of weeds, with a weight assigned to each species based on its potential as a nectar/pollen source. This suggests that agricultural weeds in Sweden provide a continuous potential supply of nectar and pollen throughout the flight season of most pollinators.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11725beesbumblebeesflowering phenologyhoverfliessummer annualSweden |
| spellingShingle | Per Milberg Markus Franzen Amanda Karpaty Wickbom Sabine Svelander Victor Johansson Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden Ecology and Evolution bees bumblebees flowering phenology hoverflies summer annual Sweden |
| title | Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden |
| title_full | Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden |
| title_fullStr | Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden |
| title_short | Pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in Sweden |
| title_sort | pollinator activity and flowering in agricultural weeds in sweden |
| topic | bees bumblebees flowering phenology hoverflies summer annual Sweden |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11725 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT permilberg pollinatoractivityandfloweringinagriculturalweedsinsweden AT markusfranzen pollinatoractivityandfloweringinagriculturalweedsinsweden AT amandakarpatywickbom pollinatoractivityandfloweringinagriculturalweedsinsweden AT sabinesvelander pollinatoractivityandfloweringinagriculturalweedsinsweden AT victorjohansson pollinatoractivityandfloweringinagriculturalweedsinsweden |