Wild Pollinators and Honeybees Respond Differently to Landscape-Scale Organic Farming and Increase Sunflower Yields

Wild pollinators play a critical role in crop production, yet they are increasingly threatened by agricultural intensification and habitat loss. A recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Wurzburg found that wild pollinators and honeybees respond differently to landscape-scale organic farming, and that increasing organic farming at the landscape scale can support pollinators across both organic and conventional systems. The study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, used a pollinator exclusion experiment to assess the effects of landscape composition, field management, and pollinators on seed weight, seed number, pollination services, and overall yield in sunflower fields.

Key Takeaways:

• The study found that bumblebee abundance increased with organic farming area in the landscape, while solitary bee richness increased with semi-natural habitat area.
• Solitary bee abundance and richness increased with weed richness at the field level, while hoverfly abundance decreased with increasing mass-flowering crop area in the landscape.
• Insect pollination in open compared to pollinator-excluded treatments increased yields on average by 25%.
• Overall yields did not differ between conventional and organic fields, while pollination services were marginally higher in organic fields.
• The study suggests that tolerating moderate weed levels within fields can further enhance wild pollinators without reducing yields.
• Landscape management should promote both organic farming and semi-natural habitats to support pollinators.
• The study provides practical strategies to support different groups of wild pollinators through integrative landscape and field management.

Statistics:

• 25% average increase in yields due to insect pollination in open compared to pollinator-excluded treatments.
• 153% increase in bumblebee abundance with increasing organic farming area in the landscape.
• 112% increase in solitary bee richness with 10% increase in semi-natural habitat area.

Sources:

• Wild Pollinators and Honeybees Respond Differently To Landscape-scale Organic Farming and Increase Sunflower Yields. Journal of Applied Ecology, 2025.
• Denise Bertleff, University of Wurzburg, Dept. of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Wurzburg, Germany.
• Valentina Vey, Nikki Sauer, Jie Zhang, Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter, Andrea Holzschuh, Sabine Birnbeck, Harald Volz, and Janosch Fiedler, authors of the study.
• Journal of Applied Ecology, a peer-reviewed journal published by Wiley.