Project Overview
Commodities
- Animals: bees
Practices
- Crop Production: pollinator habitat, pollinator health
- Soil Management: soil quality/health
Abstract:
Current agricultural conventions tend to favor unbroken landscapes of monoculture crops. Though these fields can be efficient for farm equipment, there is evidence that they are inadequate for soil, pollinator, and ecosystem health. With this study, we aim to investigate whether the addition of native plant mixes and a higher diversity of floral resources in an area can improve the nutrient quality of the soil and the healthy development of native bees. We divided 12 plots of land into three treatment groups: a buckwheat monoculture control and two different seed mixes of native and naturalized North American flowers. To investigate soil health, we analyzed the pH and the levels of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus in the soil before and after planting, and we will perform an analysis of the soil microbial community using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing. To assess native bee health, we constructed wood and mesh cages over each plot to house blue orchard bees (Osmia lignaria). After being exposed to either the buckwheat crop or one of the wildflower mixes, the bees were measured on several endpoints to determine fitness, including foraging activity, nesting activity, number of offspring produced, offspring emergence as adults, and offspring longevity after emergence. We then performed a comparative analysis to determine whether the native flower mixes had a positive effect on soil quality and bee development when compared to the monoculture control.
Project objectives:
- Determine whether native seed mixes, when compared to monoculture plantings, have a positive impact on native bee development and health.
- Evaluate the soil quality of plots separately planted with native seed mixes and nonnative monocultures.
- Recommend more sustainable agriculture systems that support soil health and robust pollinator populations.