NATIVE WILDFLOWER EFFECTS ON INSECT-MEDIATED POLLINATION OF SOYBEANS: A FIELD EXPERIMENT

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to examine the effects of a native wildflower border on insect-mediated pollination of an adjacent soybean crop. Pollinator exclusion cages (N = 90) were compared to a control group (N = 90). Total seed and pod numbers of non caged soybean plants were significantly higher (P < .005) than those of caged plants. Benefits of the pollinator habitat were most noticeable in the rows closest to the wildflower border where insect visitation increased the total number of pods by up to 24%. Honeybees were notably scarce while the crop bloomed, so it appears that pollination services were performed primarily by wild bees. Field observations suggest two additional benefits of adding a pollinator meadow, an increase in predatory insects and positive changes in hydrology. My results demonstrate how supplementing modernday landscapes with native wildflowers, can be an affordable way to boost dwindling bee populations while naturally enhancing crop yields.