scholarly journals Plugging the hunger gap: Organic farming supports more abundant nutritional resources for bees at critical periods

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander James Austin ◽  
Lori Lawson-Handley ◽  
James Gilbert
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Flowering Plants ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Bee Community ◽  
Bee Abundance

Understanding the decline in bee populations and their plant mutualists is of paramount concern for ecosystem health, as well as our future food security. Intensive farming practices are one of the major drivers behind such declines. Organic farming is one of the principal alternatives to conventional practices yet the evidence for its effects are mixed, with some studies showing limited benefits. We conducted bee and floral surveys on 10 paired organic and conventional farms across Yorkshire, UK, to investigate how farming practice influenced the abundance, richness and community composition of bees and flowering plants. Firstly, we found that species richness for flowering plants and bees was similar across organic and conventional farms. Floral composition differed between organic and conventional farms with the greatest differences seen in May and June, whereas bee community composition was similar among farming practices. Secondly, both bee and floral abundance were higher in organic farms. Peaks in floral abundance, and corresponding bee abundance, occurred in particular months, most notably in July, with abundance during the rest of the season being similar across both farming practices. Synthesis and applications: Our results suggest that higher floral availability on organic farms corresponds with increased bee abundance. Of particular importance was the higher floral abundance during spring, in the pollinator 'hungry gap', where floral resources are traditionally scarce. However, conventional farms performed comparably to organic farms across the rest of the season, as well as showing similar levels of species richness, diversity and species composition for both flowering plants and bees. We suggest that targeted management on conventional farms, aimed at boosting floral abundance in the spring, when floral abundance is low, could allow conventional farms to make up the shortfall. Additionally, focusing on increasing the diversity of flowering plants, in terms of both phenology and nutritional composition, for both adult bees and their larvae, could improve bee community diversity across both farming systems.

Dryland Organic Farming Partially Offsets Negative Effects of Highly Simplified Agricultural Landscapes on Forbs, Bees, and Bee–Flower Networks

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 826-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subodh Adhikari ◽  
Laura A Burkle ◽  
Kevin M O’Neill ◽  
David K Weaver ◽  
Casey M Delphia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
No Till ◽  
Bee Diversity ◽  
Bee Abundance

AbstractIndustrialized farming practices result in simplified agricultural landscapes, reduced biodiversity, and degraded species-interaction networks. Thus far, most research assessing the combined effects of farming systems and landscape complexity on beneficial insects has been conducted in relatively diversified and mesic systems and may not represent the large-scale, monoculture-based dryland agriculture that dominates many regions worldwide. Specifically, the effects of farming systems on forbs, bees, and their interactions are poorly understood in highly simplified dryland landscapes such as those in the Northern Great Plains, United States, an area globally important for conventional and organic small grain, pulse, forage, and oilseed production. During a 3-yr (2013–2015) study, we assessed 1) the effects of dryland no-till conventional and tilled organic farming on forbs, bees, and bee–flower networks and 2) the relationship between natural habitat and bee abundance. Flower density and richness were greater in tilled organic fields than in no-till conventional fields, and forb community composition differed between farming systems. We observed high bee diversity (109 taxa) in this highly simplified landscape, and bee abundance, richness, and community composition were similar between systems. Compared with tilled organic fields, bee–flower interactions in no-till conventional fields were poorly connected, suggesting these systems maintain relatively impoverished plant-pollinator networks. Natural habitat (11% of the landscape) did not affect small-bodied bee abundance in either farming system but positively affected large-bodied bees within 2,000 m of crop-field centers. In highly simplified agricultural landscapes, dryland organic farming and no-till conventional farming together support relatively high bee diversity, presumably because dryland organic farming enhances floral resources and bee–flower networks, and no-till management in conventional farming provides undisturbed ground-nesting habitats for wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea).

Differences in sheep and goats milk microbiological profile between conventional and organic farming systems in Greece

2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Malissiova ◽  
Theofilos Papadopoulos ◽  
Aikaterini Kyriazi ◽  
Maria Mparda ◽  
Christina Sakorafa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Farming Practices ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Maldi Tof Ms ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Microbiological Profile ◽  
Maldi Tof ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Tof Ms

The aim of this study was to examine differences in the microbiological profile and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from milk from organic and conventional sheep and goat farms. Twenty-five organic and 25 conventional sheep and goat farms in the region of Thessaly, Greece participated in this study. A standardised detailed questionnaire was used to describe farming practices. A total of 50 samples were collected and analysed for total viable count (TVC), total coliform count (TCC) and somatic cell count (SCC), whileStaphylococcus aureusandEscherichia coliwere isolated using standard methods. Isolates were identified at species level by Api-test and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Susceptibility to a panel of 20 forE. coliand 16 forS. aureusantimicrobials was determined by the agar dilution method. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) was performed forS. aureusandE. coliisolates to determine predominant clones. Lower counts of TVC, TCC and SCC were identified in milk from the organic farms, possibly due to differences in the hygienic farming practices found on those farms. API-tests and MALDI-TOF MS showed no significant differences in theS. aureusandE. coliisolates. Overall, antimicrobial resistance rates were low, while a statistically higher percentage was estimated among strains originating from conventional farms in comparison with organic farms, possibly due to the restriction of antibiotic use in organic farming. PFGE revealed diversity amongS. aureusandE. colipopulations in both organic and conventional farms indicating circulation of 2–3 main clones changing slightly during their evolution. Consequently, there is evidence that milk from the organic farms presents a better microbiological profile when compared with milk from conventional farms.

Changes in the Summer Wild Bee Community Following a Bark Beetle Outbreak in a Douglas-fir Forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1437-1448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel G Foote ◽  
Nathaniel E Foote ◽  
Justin B Runyon ◽  
Darrell W Ross ◽  
Christopher J Fettig
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Bark Beetle ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Wild Bee ◽  
Bee Community ◽  
Bee Communities ◽  
Bee Abundance

Abstract The status of wild bees has received increased interest following recent estimates of large-scale declines in their abundances across the United States. However, basic information is limited regarding the factors affecting wild bee communities in temperate coniferous forest ecosystems. To assess the early responses of bees to bark beetle disturbance, we sampled the bee community of a Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.), forest in western Idaho, United States during a Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), outbreak beginning in summer 2016. We resampled the area in summer 2018 following reductions in forest canopy cover resulting from mortality of dominant and codominant Douglas-fir. Overall, results from rarefaction analyses indicated significant increases in bee diversity (Shannon’s H) in 2018 compared to 2016. Results from ANOVA also showed significant increases in bee abundance and diversity in 2018 compared to 2016. Poisson regression analyses revealed percent tree mortality from Douglas-fir beetle was positively correlated with increases in total bee abundance and species richness, where community response variables displayed a cubic trend with percent tree mortality. Percent reduction in canopy cover from 2016 to 2018 was also correlated with bee species richness and diversity. These findings suggest that wild bee communities may benefit from changes in forest structure following bark beetle outbreaks.

Effect of meadow regeneration on bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) abundance and diversity in southern Ontario, Canada

2013 ◽  
Vol 145 (6) ◽  
pp. 655-667 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy C. Rutgers-Kelly ◽  
Miriam H. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
First Year ◽  
Southern Ontario ◽  
Landfill Sites ◽  
Bee Diversity ◽  
Bee Community ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
And Control ◽  
Pan Traps ◽  
Bee Abundance

AbstractTo investigate how bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) communities repopulate habitat following severe disturbances, we compared assemblages in new, regenerating landfill sites planted in 2003, recent landfill sites planted in 2000, and control meadows relatively undisturbed for >40 years. All sites were identically sampled using pan traps and sweep netting, from early May to late September 2003, equalising collection effort among sites. In addition, we carried out five-minute aerial net samplings wherever sites contained large patches of wildflowers. We predicted that abundance and diversity of bees would be highest in recent sites and lowest in new sites. This prediction was partially supported: bees were most abundant in recent sites followed by control, then new sites, but species richness was highest (82 species) in recent sites, followed by new sites (67 species), then control (66 species). A randomisation analysis showed that there were more species than expected in new sites and fewer than expected in control sites. Differences in blossom availability likely explain differences in bee abundance and diversity among habitat regeneration levels. Overall, our results suggest that the bee community recolonised newly available sites immediately in the first year and that bee diversity and abundance increased for at least three years, subsequently declining between three and 40 years.

scholarly journals Economic efficiency of legume-cereal intercrops in conditions of organic farming

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 189-198
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Jánský ◽  
Jiří Pospíšil
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Direct Costs ◽  
Conventional Farming ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Fodder Production ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Green Fodder ◽  
Final Yield

The paper presents economic analysis of growing of legume-cereal intercropping in conditions of organic farming. Results of the analysis are based on data monitoring in chosen organic farms that grow LCI. In the paper there is also compared economic efficiency of LCI grown in organic and conventional farming system. Methodological solution results from costingness and earnings monitoring of LCI production in five chosen organic farms in the period 2007–2008.When evaluating costs existing in individual variants of LCI growing it is necessary to say that the selection of individual machines and machine aggregations represents the most important factor of influencing direct costs, namely with regard to the size of organic farms and to the area of individual field blocks. Under conditions of organic farms, the LCI production is also significantly influenced also by agrotechnical (tillage) operations. As compared with conventional farms, the final yield of both green fodder and grain is lower by 14–38%. Total direct costs per hectare of harvested LCI acreage ranged in case of fodder production from 9.249 CZK to 11.620 CZK per hectare. In case of grain production, the corresponding costs ranged from 8.848 to 9.970 CZK per hectare. In case of LCI, the direct costs of organic farms per unit of production of both fodder and grain consist mainly of material costs, which represent 63–76% and 61–68% of total expenses associated with production of fodder and grain, respectively. These direct costs are influenced also by higher prices of inputs.

scholarly journals Evaluating Native Bee Communities and Nutrition in Managed Grasslands

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 717-725
Author(s):  
D S Stein ◽  
D M Debinski ◽  
J M Pleasants ◽  
A L Toth
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Flowering Plant ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Pollinator Community ◽  
Bee Communities ◽  
Bee Abundance

Abstract Native pollinators are important for providing vital services in agroecosystems; however, their numbers are declining globally. Bees are the most efficient and diverse members of the pollinator community; therefore, it is imperative that management strategies be implemented that positively affect bee community composition and health. Here, we test responses of the bee and flowering plant communities to land management treatments in the context of grasslands in the upper Midwestern United States, a critical area with respect to bee declines. Twelve sites were selected to examine floral resources and wild bee communities based on three different types of grasslands: tallgrass prairie remnants, ungrazed restorations, and grazed restorations. Total bee abundance was significantly higher in ungrazed restorations than remnants, but there were no significant differences among grasslands in community composition or Shannon diversity. Across the three grassland types we also examined mass and lipid stores as nutritional health indicators in three sweat bees (Halictidae), Augochlora pura, Agapostemon virescens, and Halictus ligatus. Although there were no differences in lipid content, total average bee mass was significantly higher in Ag. virescens collected from ungrazed restorations as compared to remnants. Floral abundance of native and non-native species combined was significantly higher in grazed restorations compared to remnants and ungrazed restorations. However, ungrazed restorations had higher abundance and richness of native flowering ramets. These data suggest that bee abundance and nutrition are driven by high abundance of native flowering plant species, rather than total flowering plants.

scholarly journals Social Values in Stimulating Organic Production Involvement in Farming—The Case of Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 5945
Author(s):  
Karol Kociszewski ◽  
Andrzej Graczyk ◽  
Krystyna Mazurek-Łopacinska ◽  
Magdalena Sobocińska
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Agricultural Producers ◽  
Main Research ◽  
Demand Growth ◽  
Conventional Farms

The main research problem discussed in this paper involves evaluation of the motives of agricultural producers for pursuing and developing organic production. The aim of this study is to identify and evaluate the role of social values in stimulating decisions of involvement in organic production. Analytical observations were conducted on the basis of responses to surveys on a nation-representative sample in Poland (350 conventional farms and 70 organic farms in 2011; 260 conventional farms and 65 organic farms in 2019). Analyses were conducted in relation to the potential and perspectives for development of organic farming. They were focused on identifying the original motives for such decisions (incentives and disincentives). This allowed for effective evaluation of both the trend and the pace of the studied processes. The development potential of organic farming in Poland was estimated at 5–15% of the total number of farms. The most important factors encouraging farmers to take up production are associated with social values (care for the natural environment and family health). A significant chance for the development of organic production is the expected demand growth, which is also related to social values: the increasing environmental awareness and environmental change of consumption patterns.

scholarly journals An ecosystem approach to assess soil quality in organically and conventionally managed farms in Iceland and Austria

SOIL ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. van Leeuwen ◽  
T. Lehtinen ◽  
G. J. Lair ◽  
J. Bloem ◽  
L. Hemerik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Aggregates ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Taxonomic Diversity ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Soil Microarthropods ◽  
Conventional Farms

Abstract. Intensive agricultural production can be an important driver for the loss of long-term soil quality. For this reason, the European Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) network adopted four pairs of agricultural CZO sites that differ in their management: conventional or organic. The CZO sites include two pairs of grassland farms in Iceland and two pairs of arable farms in Austria. Conventional fields differed from the organic fields in the use of artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Soils of these eight farms were analysed in terms of their physical, chemical, and biological properties, including soil aggregate size distribution, soil organic matter contents, abundance of soil microbes and soil fauna, and taxonomic diversity of soil microarthropods. In Icelandic grasslands, organically farmed soils had larger mean weight diameters of soil aggregates than the conventional farms, while there were no differences on the Austrian farms. Organic farming did not systematically influence organic matter contents or composition, nor soil carbon and nitrogen contents. Also, soil food web structures, in terms of presence of trophic groups of soil organisms, were highly similar among all farms, indicating a low sensitivity of trophic structure to land use or climate. However, soil organism biomass, especially of bacteria and nematodes, was consistently higher on organic farms than on conventional farms. Within the microarthropods, taxonomic diversity was systematically higher in the organic farms compared to the conventional farms. This difference was found across countries and farm, crop, and soil types. The results do not show systematic differences in physical and chemical properties between organic and conventional farms, but confirm that organic farming can enhance soil biomass and that microarthropod diversity is a sensitive and consistent indicator for land management.

scholarly journals Komposisi Komunitas Cacing Tanah Pada Lahan Pertanian Organik Dan Anorganik Di Desa Raya Kecamatan Berastagi Kabupaten Karo

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Sri Jayanthi ◽  
Retno Widhiastuti ◽  
Erni Jumilawaty
Keyword(s):  
Least Squares ◽  
Organic Farming ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Random Sampling ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Sorting Method ◽  
Biology Department ◽  
Hand Sorting ◽  
Inorganic And Organic

Penelitian dilakukan di Desa Raya, Kecamatan Berastagi, Kabupaten Karo, Sumatera Utara dan di Laboratorium Sistematika Hewan Depatermen Biologi, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan pada bulan januari - februari 2013. Penelitian dilakukan secara purposive random sampling dengan menggunakan metode kuadrat dan hand sorting. Hasil penelitian ditemukan 1 spesies famili Glocossicidae (P. corethrurus) dan 3 spesies famili Megascolidae (Amynthas sp., Megascolex sp. dan Pheretima sp.). Kepadatan cacing tanah pada pertanian organik (128,000 ind/m2) dan anorganik (73,600 ind/m2). Ada perbedaan komposisi komunitas cacing tanah pada lahan pertanian organik (Pheretima sp. 50,833%, P. corethrurus 40,000%, Amynthas sp. 7,500%, Megascolex sp. 1,667%) dan anorganik (P. corethrurus 49,275%, Pheretima sp. 46,377%, Amynthas sp. 4,384%). P. corethrurus dan Pheretima sp. merupakan jenis cacing tanah yang karakteristik pada lahan pertanian organik dan anorganik. Kata Kunci: Anorganik, Cacing Tanah, Kabupaten Karo, Komunitas dan Organik ABSTRACT This study had been done in Raya subdistrict, Berastagi district, Karo, Sumatera Utara in Animal Systematics Laboratory of Biology Department University of Sumatera Utara on January to February 2013. The sample for this study taken by purposive random sampling using the least squares and hand sorting method. The results of the research found that there were one family of Glocossicidae (namely species P. corethrurus) and 3 species of family Megascolidae (namely: Amynthas sp., Megascolex sp., and Pheretima sp.). The density of eartworm in organic farming was 128,000 ind/m2 and in inorganic one was 73,600 ind/m2. There were differences in community composition of earthworms on organic farms, they were Pheretima sp. 50,833%, P. corethrurus 40,000%, Amynthas sp. 7,500%, Megascolex sp. 1,667%, meanwhile, in inorganic farms were P. corethrurus 49,275%, Pheretima sp. 46,377%, Amynthas sp. 4,348%. P. corethrurus and Pheretima sp. were the characteristic of earthworms species in organic and inorganic agricultural land. Keywords: Community, Earthworms, Inorganic and Organic

scholarly journals     Cocktails of pesticide residues in conventional and organic farming systems in Europe – legacy of the past and turning point for the future

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Silva ◽  
Violette Geissen ◽  
Esperanza Huerta Lwanga ◽  
Nicolas Beriot ◽  
Klaas Oostindie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Farming ◽  
Pesticide Residues ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Potato Production ◽  
Organic Soils ◽  
Organic Farms ◽  
Conventional Farms ◽  
Organic Farming Systems ◽  
Study Sites

<p>Considering that pesticides have been used in Europe for over 70 years, a system for monitoring pesticide residues in EU soils and their effects on soil health is long overdue. In an attempt to address this problem, we tested 340 EU agricultural topsoil samples for multiple pesticide residues. These samples originated from 4 representative EU case study sites (CSS), which covered 3 countries and four of the main EU crops: vegetable and orange production in Spain (S-V and S-O, respectively), grape production in Portugal (P-G), and potato production in the Netherlands (N-P). Soil samples were collected between 2015 and 2018 after harvest or before the start of the growing season, depending on the CSS. Conventional and organic farming results were compared in S-V, S-O and N-P. Soils from conventional farms presented mostly mixtures of pesticide residues, with a maximum of 16 residues/sample. Soils from organic farms had significantly fewer residues, with a maximum of 5 residues/sample. The residues with the highest frequency of detection and the highest content in soil were herbicides: glyphosate and its main metabolite AMPA (P-G, N-P, S-O), and pendimethalin (S-V). Total residue content in soil reached values of 0.8 mg kg-1 for S-V, 2 mg kg-1 for S-O and N-P, and 12 mg kg-1 for P-G. Organic soils presented 70-90% lower residue concentrations than the corresponding conventional soils. There is a severe knowledge gap concerning the effects of the accumulated and complex mixtures of pesticide residues found in soil on soil biota and soil health. Safety benchmarks should be defined and introduced into (soil) legislation as soon as possible. Soil remediation techniques should be developed to keep the levels of pesticide residues below such benchmarks. Furthermore, the process of transitioning to organic farming should take into consideration the residue mixtures and their residence time in soil.  </p>

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