Abstract
Flower abundance and diversity benefit bee populations. However, flower resource availability is disturbed in farmlands and little is known about which protein or carbohydrate resources may limit bee fitness. Here, we test the hypothesis of complementary resource limitation using a novel experimental approach of supplemental feeding in differently structured landscapes. We applied this assumption to bumblebees. We found positive effects of seminatural habitats, as a foraging resource of pollen and nectar, on reproductive performance and behavior of bumblebees. Moreover, the results suggest co-limitation in pollen and nectar in mixed landscapes, providing new perspectives on improving pollinator-friendly practices for the conservation of pollinators in farmlands. Photo credit: Kim K. Jowanowitsch. Photo credit: Kim K. Jowanowitsch. Photo credit: Kim K. Jowanowitsch. Photo credit: Kim K. Jowanowitsch. These photographs illustrate the article “Limitation of complementary resources affects colony growth, foraging behavior, and reproduction in bumble bees” by Requier, F., Jowanowitsch, K. K., Kallnik, K., Steffan-Dewenter, I., published in Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2946
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