Hoverflies
Function, distribution, and relevance of hoverflies in agroecosystems (German Environmental Foundation, DBU)
Summary
The scientific interests in ecosystem services and natural goods increased considerably over the past decades. The linkage of ecological processes to economical value is a powerful argument for future environmental conservation issues. However, empirical data to substantiate the theoretical discussions on the relationships between biological and functional diversity is scarce.
This project will determine the hoverflies’ contribution to a fundamental ecosystem service: pollination (i). Additionally, field surveys will be conducted to access distribution patterns of hoverfly communities in the field (ii).
- i) Pollination: The dramatic decline in honey bees worldwide has raised worries about a pollination crisis. Thus, experts call for the identification of alternative pollinators. The pollination efficiency of hoverflies on crops and wild flowers will be examined using isolation cages.
- ii) Influence of landscape structure on hoverfly communities: Hoverflies will be collected on study sites representing gradients in specific landscape characteristics. Relevant landscape factors determining hoverfly distribution will be identified using digital land use maps of the study region.
Hoverflies are extremely suitable for ecological studies addressing the impact of land use change, because, although virtually all adults are flower visiting, the larvae show considerable niche differentiation. The study area represents a mosaic of various land use forms differing in management intensity. The diversity and composition of habitats allows for intensive studies on the impact of landscape structure on community structures.
The results will be of relevance for future conservation issues. Also, potential strategies for yield gain and conservation of floral diversity will be addressed. The data can further be used for future modeling of landscapes and the resulting pollinator distribution, thus contributing to decision making processes in landscape planning and land use change scenarios.
Funding period
01/06/2004 – 31/05/2007
Scholarship holder