Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/P009972/1
Developing techniques for enhancing broad bee diversity in farmland
Training Grant Award
- Lead Supervisor:
- Professor D Goulson, University of Sussex, Sch of Life Sciences
- Grant held at:
- University of Sussex, Sch of Life Sciences
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Biodiversity
- Natural Resource Management
- Science Topics:
- Agricultural systems
- Conservation Ecology
- Population Ecology
- Interaction with organisms
- Abstract:
- Recent NERC-funded research at Sussex carried out on farms in S England has shown that current flower strips sown under agri-environment prescriptions boost populations of some common bumblebee species but provide negligible benefit for the many other bee species that live in farmland. This should not be surprising for the seed mixes sown largely comprise species chosen for their high value to bumblebees; notably Fabaceae (clovers & trefoils). However, this should be of concern if we wish to maintain high biodiversity & a rich pollinator community, for the overwhelming bulk of bee diversity comprises solitary species, most of which scarcely ever visit Fabaceae. Our PhD student Tom Wood has shown that the large majority of flower visits by most solitary bees are not to the flowers sown in margins, but are instead to a range of ruderal & hedgerow plants. These plants can broadly be divided into woody hedgerow plants (e.g. bramble, buckthorn, dogwood, hawthorn), & ruderals found in field margins & waste places (e.g. mayweed, wild radish, rough chervil). At present there are no prescriptions targeted at benefiting these species, & no clear knowledge as to how best to do so. There is also a potential conflict in that some of the latter group are minor weeds & farmers may be reluctant to encourage them. We propose a three-pronged approach: a) The student will survey the 18 farms studied by Wood, quantify the distribution & abundance of flowers of the target plant species, & relate this to the management history of the various farm features. The aim here is to establish which management practices have resulted in high abundance of the desired flowers. b) Experimental manipulation of hedgerow cutting regimes will be tested to establish which regimes best favour the target flowers. Hedgerow stewardship options already exist (e.g. BE3), & it may be that these are satisfactory provided that the correct woody species are present. In this case, encouraging planting of target species such as Cornus during gap filling & planting of new hedges may be sufficient. c) Trialling seed mixes of the target ruderal species sown in flower strips (versus control strips, those sown with a conventional pollinator mix, & a hybrid mix aiming to benefit all bee species). Seed for most of the target ruderal species is readily available & establishment is straight-forward. However, encroachment into the neighbouring crop may be an issue, & will be closely monitored & means to manage this tested in collaboration with the farmers. In b & c, the full range of pollinators visiting experimental plots will be surveyed (not just bees), to provide a holistic measure of the benefits of different managements for beneficial insects. The student may also examine pollination deposition & deficit in a subset of the above plant species to determine whether experimental manipulations in b & c results in improvements in pollination of plants typically pollinated primarily by solitary bees. Inclusion of seed company Emorsgate means that the student will benefit from access to practical advice on the best species to include in seed mixes & how best to establish them. By working closely with project partners Natural England our hope is that the findings of the project can be directly fed into development of revised agri-environment prescriptions which cater for the full breadth of bee diversity in farmland. Results will also be disseminated through our existing contacts in NGOs such as Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT), RSPB and Buglife (with all of whom we have ongoing colllaboration & active contacts), enabling them to give the best possible advice to farmers and landowners. The project's results will also be communicated to the general public via social media, talks and the BBCT's newsletter, contributing to the public's understanding of bee ecology and helping guide their efforts to support bees
- NERC Reference:
- NE/P009972/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- DTG - directed
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Industrial CASE
This training grant award has a total value of £88,292
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
Total - Fees | Total - RTSG | Total - Student Stipend |
---|---|---|
£17,296 | £11,000 | £59,998 |
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