Landscape Context Influences the Bee Conservation Value of Wildflower Plantings

Abstract Pollination provided by bees is a critical ecosystem service for agricultural production. However, bee populations are at risk from stressors such as habitat loss, pesticides, and disease. On-farm wildflower plantings one mitigation strategy to provide resources bees. In many instances, government programs can subsidize the installation of these private landowners. Semi-natural (SNH) in landscape also important conservation may alter effectiveness plantings. this study, we tested interactions with SNH promoting abundance richness. Bee surveys were conducted over 2 yr 22 sites eastern Virginia Maryland. Wildflower plantings, averaging 0.22 ha size, installed maintained cooperators 10 sites. total, 5,122 identified 85 species. did not communities independently, but was greater on farms 20–30% landscape. richness had nonlinear responses increasing The positive effects peaked when approximately 40% Similar predictions intermediate-landscape complexity hypothesis, increases only detected simplified landscapes. Results indicate that small Mid-Atlantic U.S. benefits under specific circumstances scale studied, conserving across be more strategy.