Comparison of two Mediterranean crop systems: Polycrop favours trap-nesting solitary bees over monocrop

Abstract

Landscape, in terms of crop diversity, together with spatial heterogeneity, connectivity and the proportion of natural elements all play a key role in the quality of the agricultural matrix. The abundant resources derived from the high productivity associated with cultivated lands within agricultural landscapes – formed by mosaics comprising small elements and systems of low agricultural intensity – may favour the populations and communities of certain insect species.Here, trap-nesting solitary bees have been studied to evaluate the effect of two Mediterranean crop systems: monocrops (vineyard and cereal) and polycrops (mixed vegetable crop) for two levels of farming intensity (high-intensity vs. low-intensity) on brood cells and emergent progeny of the bee population and community species richness.Polycrops proved favourable compared to monocrops, with the former proving particularly favourable for offspring production (brood cells and emergent progeny) of bees belonging to the genus Osmia. Bee populations, especially polylectic species, may benefit from the traits characterizing this polycrop, which provide plentiful and diverse resources both in space and time. Farming intensity, regardless the crop type, is also an important factor affecting bee community structure. Low farming intensity maintains essential semi-natural habitats providing shelter for species-rich communities. Crop richness, together with low farming intensity would provide heterogeneous landscapes with a variety of natural and cultivated resources, benefitting trap-nesting bee populations.