Does More Diverse Plant Architecture in Pollinator Habitats Influence Native Pollinator and Beneficial Insect Abundance and Diversity?

View the project final report

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: pollination, pollinator habitat
• Education and Training: on-farm/ranch research
• Natural Resources/Environment: habitat enhancement

According to 2015 wild bee maps, key agricultural regions in the Western USA are at risk due to
declining native bee populations coupled with a rising demand for crop pollination (Koh et al.
2015). These regions need to increase effective pollination habitat while not alienating farmers.
Growers want to encourage pollinators but are hindered by lack of knowledge, limited time and
labor, and the perception that pollinator habitat is weedy.
This study has three main goals. First, exploring whether designing pollinator habitat to include
plant species with divergent architecture increases native pollinator and beneficial insect
diversity and abundance when compared to pollinator habitats containing species with similar
architecture. This novel concept will expand research in the field and allow development of more
effective multifunctional habitat. Second, evaluating ten economically viable crops, including
herbs and cut flowers, for inclusion in pollinator habitat design based on their ability to attract
pollinators and suitability to the Northwest. This will increase grower interest by providing an
economic incentive to establish pollinator habitat. Third, encouraging growers to establish more
pollinator habitat by developing farmer friendly pollinator plant groupings that are economically
profitable, easy to maintain, inexpensive, and non-invasive.
Education and outreach will include local farmers, western growers and pollinator researchers.
For local farmers we will have a field tour and presentations on farmer friendly pollinator
habitat. To reach out to nonlocal farmers we will develop webpages, an infographic and
downloadable pamphlets on creating a habitat for wild pollinators in the Northwest. To further
pollinator research we will submit at least one research paper on the effect of diverse plant
architecture on native pollinator abundance and diversity.

1) Evaluate if a more diverse plant architecture influences pollinator and beneficial insect
abundance and diversity (year 1-2).
2) Evaluate the suitability of ten different pollinator friendly marketable crops such as herbs
and cut flowers for inclusion in pollinator habit (year 1-2).
3) Develop easy to establish, non-invasive, cost-effective and obtainable pollinator modules
for western farmers (year 2).
4) Encourage adaptation of more effective pollinator habitat among local and regional
farmers by developing and distributing educational material for growers on sustaining
native pollinators (year 2-3).
5) Survey pollinator diversity and abundance on a WA certified organic farm (year 1-2).
6) Write and submit a research paper(s) on study (year 2-3).