Natural habitats enhance pollination services in apple and sweet cherry orchards: evidence from Southern Mediterranean agroecosystems

García, C. B. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2394-6977, Dymond, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3659-4405, López-Aliste, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8791-8599, Díaz-Siefer, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5104-9830, Fontúrbel, F. E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8585-2816, Garratt, M. P. D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0196-6013 and Celis-Diez, J. L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6356-264X (2026) Natural habitats enhance pollination services in apple and sweet cherry orchards: evidence from Southern Mediterranean agroecosystems. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 400. 110220. ISSN 1873-2305 doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2026.110220

Abstract/Summary

Wild pollinators play a critical role in crop production. However, the ongoing loss of natural habitats threatens pollination services and food security. We evaluated how the percentage of surrounding natural habitat and the distance from orchard edges influence wild floral visitors and pollination deficit in sweet cherry and apple orchards in Mediterranean Chile. Additionally, we examined the relationship between floral visitation and fruit production. We studied eighteen orchards of each crop and classified them into three categories according to the percentage of natural habitats within a 1 km radius: < 35 %, 36–70 % and > 70 %. Three pollination treatments (supplementary, open, and exclusion) were applied at the edge and into the orchard interior. We quantified floral visitor richness, floral visits, fruit set and fruit quality. Our results showed that sweet cherry orchards with less than 35 % surrounding natural habitat had significantly lower wild insect species richness and floral visits compared to orchards with > 35 %. In both crops, species richness and wild floral visits declined with increasing distance from the orchard edge. Wild floral visitors enhanced fruit set in both crops, while honey bees contributed to sweet cherry fruit set and apple seed set. Although insect pollination improved fruit quality, we found no direct relationship between flower visitation and fruit quality. In apple orchards with > 70 % natural habitat, fruit weight deficit was lower at the edge compared to both the interior and the edges of orchards with < 35 % of natural habitat. We recommend conserving natural habitats around orchards to support wild pollinator diversity and visitation, thereby reducing pollination deficits.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://centaur.reading.ac.uk/id/eprint/128430
Identification Number/DOI	10.1016/j.agee.2026.110220
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Life Sciences > School of Agriculture, Policy and Development > Department of Sustainable Land Management > Centre for Agri-environmental Research (CAER)
Publisher	Elsevier
Download/View statistics	View download statistics for this item