Final published version
Licence: CC BY-NC: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of agri‐environment schemes on Bombus terrestris colony success
AU - Crowther, Lucy I.
AU - Reader, Tom
AU - Gilbert, Francis
PY - 2022/10/31
Y1 - 2022/10/31
N2 - As with other species linked to agricultural environments, many bumblebee species are exhibiting significant population declines. This study assesses the success of colonies of Bombus terrestris audax on farms differing in conservation inputs via agri-environment schemes (AES). B. terrestris audax colonies were placed on farms of three treatments: Conventionally managed, AES Entry-Level Stewardship (ELS), or AES Higher-Level Stewardship. Colonies on AES-compliant farms gained significantly more mass than those on conventional farms, which decreased in mass. Nests on conventional farms were also more likely to become infested by the wax moth Aphomia sociella, followed by ELS-compliant farms. The results suggest that adopting an AES can increase bumblebee colony success through the production of larger colonies and with greater ability to combat parasite infestations.
AB - As with other species linked to agricultural environments, many bumblebee species are exhibiting significant population declines. This study assesses the success of colonies of Bombus terrestris audax on farms differing in conservation inputs via agri-environment schemes (AES). B. terrestris audax colonies were placed on farms of three treatments: Conventionally managed, AES Entry-Level Stewardship (ELS), or AES Higher-Level Stewardship. Colonies on AES-compliant farms gained significantly more mass than those on conventional farms, which decreased in mass. Nests on conventional farms were also more likely to become infested by the wax moth Aphomia sociella, followed by ELS-compliant farms. The results suggest that adopting an AES can increase bumblebee colony success through the production of larger colonies and with greater ability to combat parasite infestations.
KW - agri‐environment scheme
KW - Aphomia sociella
KW - Bombus terrestris audax
KW - bumblebees
KW - colony success
KW - wax moths
U2 - 10.1111/een.13155
DO - 10.1111/een.13155
M3 - Journal article
VL - 47
SP - 911
EP - 914
JO - Ecological Entomology
JF - Ecological Entomology
SN - 0307-6946
IS - 5
ER -