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Bumble bees influence berry size in commercial Vaccinium spp. cultivation in British Columbia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2012

Claudia M. Ratti ,
Heather A. Higo ,
Terry L. Griswold  and
Mark L. Winston
Claudia M. Ratti*
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
Heather A. Higo
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
Terry L. Griswold
Affiliation:
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA), Bee Biology and Systematics Laboratory, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, United States of America
Mark L. Winston
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada V5A 1S6
*
1Corresponding author (e-mail: cratti@alumni.sfu.ca).
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Abstract

We studied the abundance, diversity, and dispersion patterns of managed and wild bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) populations in commercial highbush blueberry and cranberry (Ericaceae: Vaccinium corymbosum L., Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) fields in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, and assessed their potential as pollinators of these crops by determining which groups of bees had the greatest impact on percent yield and mass of berries. Bumble bees were evenly distributed within both crops. Other wild bee species were well distributed in blueberry fields but generally remained at edges of cranberry fields. Percent berry yield was not related to bee abundance for any group of bees, nor was species diversity correlated with berry mass. Blueberry mass and cranberry mass were related to abundance of bumble bees but not to that of honey bees or other wild bees. Bumble bees are recommended as potential alternative pollinators of these crops.

Résumé

Nous avons étudié l’abondance, la diversité et la distribution d’abeilles mellifères et sauvages (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) dans des champs de bleuets (« highbush ») et de canneberges (Ericaceae: Vaccinium corymbosum L., Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) au sein de la vallée Fraser en Colombie Britannique, et nous avons évalué leur potentiel en tant que pollinisateurs en déterminant quels groupes d’abeilles avaient le plus d’impact sur les récoltes et la masse des baies. Les bourdons se sont bien répartis dans les deux types de culture. Les autres abeilles sauvages se sont aussi bien réparties dans les champs de bleuets mais sont restées le plus souvent en périphérie des champs de canneberges. Le pourcentage des récoltes de baies n’était pas relié à l’abondance d’aucun groupe d’abeille. Aucune corrélation n’a été trouvé entre la diversité des abeilles et la masse des baies. Nous avons parcontre trouvé que la masse des bleuets et des canneberges était relié à l’abondance des bourdons mais non à celle des abeilles mellifères ou autres abeilles sauvages. Les bourdons sont donc recommandés comme pollinisateurs potentiels et alternatifs pour ces deux types de cultures.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 140 , Issue 3 , June 2008 , pp. 348 - 363
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 2008

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