Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco
The importance of flower visitors for ecosystem resilience and crop production underscores the need to address the current decline of flower visitors worldwide. Farming Alternative Pollinators (FAP), economic and ecological benefits of fields hosting various marketable habitat enhancement plants, de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1551190/full |
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| author | Youssef Bencharki Youssef Bencharki Denis Michez Moulay Chrif Smaili Oumayma Ihsane Aden Aw-Hassan Axel Ssymank Pierre Rasmont Stefanie Christmann |
| author_facet | Youssef Bencharki Youssef Bencharki Denis Michez Moulay Chrif Smaili Oumayma Ihsane Aden Aw-Hassan Axel Ssymank Pierre Rasmont Stefanie Christmann |
| author_sort | Youssef Bencharki |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The importance of flower visitors for ecosystem resilience and crop production underscores the need to address the current decline of flower visitors worldwide. Farming Alternative Pollinators (FAP), economic and ecological benefits of fields hosting various marketable habitat enhancement plants, developed for flower visitors protection in low- and middle-income countries, showed multiple benefits for farmers of pollinator-dependent crops, but potential benefits of FAP for production of pollinator-independent crops have not yet been assessed. Therefore, we conducted in 2021 FAP trials with wheat (Triticum aestivum) as the main crop in two regions of Morocco where cereals are mainly grown in monocultures in field sizes ranging from 2 to 5 ha. We tested the effects of fields adding marketable habitat enhancement plants (MHEP; coriander and canola) versus control fields on pests, natural enemies, flower visitors, and net income. We found significantly lower abundance and diversity of pests in wheat fields using MHEP, but no effect on natural enemy presence or net income. The strips of MHEP attracted a high number of flower visitors in both regions (Settat and Sidi Slimane), they supported flower visitor communities by providing plant resources and alternative habitat in monocultural landscapes extremely degraded for flower visitors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a76b04e34f54d008b4acb0b15e89f94 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a76b04e34f54d008b4acb0b15e89f942025-08-20T02:57:17ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2025-03-011310.3389/fevo.2025.15511901551190Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in MoroccoYoussef Bencharki0Youssef Bencharki1Denis Michez2Moulay Chrif Smaili3Oumayma Ihsane4Aden Aw-Hassan5Axel Ssymank6Pierre Rasmont7Stefanie Christmann8International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rabat, MoroccoLaboratory of Zoology, University of Mons, Research Institute for Biosciences, Mons, BelgiumLaboratory of Zoology, University of Mons, Research Institute for Biosciences, Mons, BelgiumLaboratory of Entomology, Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Kenitra, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Kenitra, MoroccoInternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rabat, MoroccoIndependent Consultant, Edmonton, AB, CanadaFederal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), Bonn, GermanyLaboratory of Zoology, University of Mons, Research Institute for Biosciences, Mons, BelgiumInternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, Rabat, MoroccoThe importance of flower visitors for ecosystem resilience and crop production underscores the need to address the current decline of flower visitors worldwide. Farming Alternative Pollinators (FAP), economic and ecological benefits of fields hosting various marketable habitat enhancement plants, developed for flower visitors protection in low- and middle-income countries, showed multiple benefits for farmers of pollinator-dependent crops, but potential benefits of FAP for production of pollinator-independent crops have not yet been assessed. Therefore, we conducted in 2021 FAP trials with wheat (Triticum aestivum) as the main crop in two regions of Morocco where cereals are mainly grown in monocultures in field sizes ranging from 2 to 5 ha. We tested the effects of fields adding marketable habitat enhancement plants (MHEP; coriander and canola) versus control fields on pests, natural enemies, flower visitors, and net income. We found significantly lower abundance and diversity of pests in wheat fields using MHEP, but no effect on natural enemy presence or net income. The strips of MHEP attracted a high number of flower visitors in both regions (Settat and Sidi Slimane), they supported flower visitor communities by providing plant resources and alternative habitat in monocultural landscapes extremely degraded for flower visitors.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1551190/fullCoriandrum sativummarketable habitat enhancement plantspest controlflower visitorscrop productionconservation biocontrol |
| spellingShingle | Youssef Bencharki Youssef Bencharki Denis Michez Moulay Chrif Smaili Oumayma Ihsane Aden Aw-Hassan Axel Ssymank Pierre Rasmont Stefanie Christmann Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Coriandrum sativum marketable habitat enhancement plants pest control flower visitors crop production conservation biocontrol |
| title | Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco |
| title_full | Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco |
| title_fullStr | Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco |
| title_short | Beyond biodiversity: does “Farming with Alternative Pollinators” also boost farmers’ income in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) fields? a case study in Morocco |
| title_sort | beyond biodiversity does farming with alternative pollinators also boost farmers income in wheat triticum aestivum l fields a case study in morocco |
| topic | Coriandrum sativum marketable habitat enhancement plants pest control flower visitors crop production conservation biocontrol |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1551190/full |
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