Open-canopy ponds benefit diurnal pollinator communities in an agricultural landscape: implications for farmland pond management
Open-canopy ponds benefit diurnal pollinator communities in an agricultural landscape: implications for farmland pond management
Declines in pollinating invertebrates across intensively cultivated landscapes linked to reductions in flower-rich habitats constitute a key threat to biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. Over recent decades, many ponds in agricultural landscapes have become overgrown with woody vegetation, resulting in heavily shaded, flower-poor pond basins and margins. Restoration of farmland ponds through removal of sediment and encroaching woody vegetation (canopy management) from pond margins greatly enhances freshwater biodiversity. Nevertheless, the consequences of pond management for pond-margin plants and pollinating insects remain poorly understood. Here, we studied these effects for ponds in Norfolk, eastern England. We compared richness, abundance and composition of pollinating insects (hymenopterans and syrphids) and insect-pollinated plant communities between open-canopy pond systems subjected to either (i) long-term regular management of woody vegetation or (ii) recent restoration by woody vegetation and sediment removal with those communities at (iii) ponds dominated by woody vegetation. Canopy management increased the richness and abundance of pollinators and insect-pollinated plants. Pollinator richness and abundance was best explained by improvements in flower resources at open-canopy ponds. Management most strongly influenced hymenopteran communities. Ponds represent important semi-natural habitats for insect-pollinated plant and pollinator communities in farmland. To enhance food resources, diversity and abundance of diurnal pollinators, conservation management at ponds should aim for mosaics of ponds at different successional stages with a high proportion of early successional open-canopy ponds. Agricultural ponds are emerging as important habitats not only for aquatic biodiversity, but also for terrestrial species, thus warranting their prioritisation in future agri-environment schemes.
Biodiversity conservation, farmland ponds, habitat heterogeneity, pollinator community, pollinator diversity, semi-natural habitats
307-324
Walton, R. E.
8466688e-9f32-446a-a410-914b7dd8c33f
Sayer, C. D.
34556c04-73fe-444a-8de0-99e9eb315d60
Bennion, H.
75dad48f-1606-4254-981f-d79c65b67c35
Axmacher, J. C.
e91a87c6-a93d-4213-87b7-4cbb948222be
May 2021
Walton, R. E.
8466688e-9f32-446a-a410-914b7dd8c33f
Sayer, C. D.
34556c04-73fe-444a-8de0-99e9eb315d60
Bennion, H.
75dad48f-1606-4254-981f-d79c65b67c35
Axmacher, J. C.
e91a87c6-a93d-4213-87b7-4cbb948222be
Walton, R. E., Sayer, C. D., Bennion, H. and Axmacher, J. C.
(2021)
Open-canopy ponds benefit diurnal pollinator communities in an agricultural landscape: implications for farmland pond management.
Insect Conservation and Diversity, 14 (3), .
(doi:10.1111/icad.12452).
Abstract
Declines in pollinating invertebrates across intensively cultivated landscapes linked to reductions in flower-rich habitats constitute a key threat to biodiversity conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. Over recent decades, many ponds in agricultural landscapes have become overgrown with woody vegetation, resulting in heavily shaded, flower-poor pond basins and margins. Restoration of farmland ponds through removal of sediment and encroaching woody vegetation (canopy management) from pond margins greatly enhances freshwater biodiversity. Nevertheless, the consequences of pond management for pond-margin plants and pollinating insects remain poorly understood. Here, we studied these effects for ponds in Norfolk, eastern England. We compared richness, abundance and composition of pollinating insects (hymenopterans and syrphids) and insect-pollinated plant communities between open-canopy pond systems subjected to either (i) long-term regular management of woody vegetation or (ii) recent restoration by woody vegetation and sediment removal with those communities at (iii) ponds dominated by woody vegetation. Canopy management increased the richness and abundance of pollinators and insect-pollinated plants. Pollinator richness and abundance was best explained by improvements in flower resources at open-canopy ponds. Management most strongly influenced hymenopteran communities. Ponds represent important semi-natural habitats for insect-pollinated plant and pollinator communities in farmland. To enhance food resources, diversity and abundance of diurnal pollinators, conservation management at ponds should aim for mosaics of ponds at different successional stages with a high proportion of early successional open-canopy ponds. Agricultural ponds are emerging as important habitats not only for aquatic biodiversity, but also for terrestrial species, thus warranting their prioritisation in future agri-environment schemes.
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e-pub ahead of print date: 24 September 2020
Published date: May 2021
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service (NBIS) for a generous bursary to purchase fieldwork equipment. Additional thanks are due to The Clan Trust for providing a bursary to help cover fieldwork costs. Much appreciation to Thomas Courthauld, Paul Marsh, Peter Seaman, Derek Sayer (Sayer Estates) and Richard Waddingham for providing access to their ponds and to Derek and June Sayer for providing a highly hospitable fieldwork base for 2 years. Many thanks to the reviewers and coordinating editor for their helpful suggestions. This work is dedicated to Richard Waddingham who inspired this research into farmland pond management by his decades-long devotedness to ponds on his land.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 The Authors. Insect Conservation and Diversity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society.
Keywords:
Biodiversity conservation, farmland ponds, habitat heterogeneity, pollinator community, pollinator diversity, semi-natural habitats
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 486641
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/486641
ISSN: 1752-458X
PURE UUID: 813d4f01-9336-48ae-95b2-ec6d763584e4
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Date deposited: 30 Jan 2024 17:39
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 04:17
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Contributors
Author:
R. E. Walton
Author:
C. D. Sayer
Author:
H. Bennion
Author:
J. C. Axmacher
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