Native bee diversity in regenerative agroecosystems

Recent insect declines have been linked to habitat loss and pesticides, due in large part to intensification and simplification of agriculture. Of all insect guilds, pollinator declines pose the biggest threat to humans by weakening our food security. Current agricultural systems around the world rely on conventional methods such as the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and tillage to produce our food. But what if the food system changed to a more regenerative model? Could the pollinator decline be reversed? In 2019-2020, we sampled 24 small grain crop fields in southwestern Manitoba and northcentral North Dakota to study the native bee communities in agroecosystems. To assess this community, we used bee bowls to capture the bees within the field. All bees were washed, dried, pinned, and identified to species. All fields were assigned a regenerative score based on the farmers’ practices. In total, 1,487 bees were collected, representing 11 genera (Agapostemon, Andrena, Apis, Bombus, Halictus, Heriades, Lasioglossum, Megachile, Melissodes, Pseudopanargus, and Sphecodes) and 53 species with the largest number of species belonging to Lasioglossum (29), then Andrena (11), Agapostemon (3), Halictus (2), and Heriades (2). Regenerative practices were strongly related to greater bee abundance and species richness. Agricultural practices that prioritize regeneration of agroecosystems bolster native bee communities. Pollinators have direct benefits to producers by providing the ecosystem service of pollinating crops, thereby potentially increasing crop yields.