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- Title
Predator- and Scavenger-Mediated Ecosystem Services Determined by Distance to Field-Forest Interface in the Maine Lowbush Blueberry Agroecosystem.
- Authors
Jones, Matthew S.; Halteman, William A.; Drummond, Francis A.
- Abstract
Predators and scavengers play a vital role in regulating insect pests, weeds, and vertebrate scat in perennial agroecosystems. Understanding how farm management practices and surrounding habitat influence these beneficial ecosystem services contributes to our understanding of these complex ecological systems and guides future management decisions. In a mensurative 2-yr study, we determined how different pest management strategies and surrounding forest composition influenced levels of sentinel insect pupae, weed seeds, and deer scat (feces) removal. Removal of these bioresources was measured within 12 commercial lowbush blueberry fields during 2011 and 2012; farms differed in surrounding landscape composition and farm management strategies. Both the removal of sentinel pupae and scat, was significantly higher within field interiors than at field edges and within adjacent forests. Additionally, farm management strategy interacted with field position to result in significantly higher scat removal in conventional field interiors than organic field interiors. Surrounding forest composition had variable effects on removal of materials. Our results indicate higher levels of activity within field centers as opposed to field edges; this is contrary to what has been observed in other perennial cropping agroecosystems.
- Subjects
VACCINIUM angustifolium; SCAVENGERS (Zoology); PREDATION; ECOSYSTEM services; AGRICULTURAL ecology; PREDATORY insects; CONTROL of agricultural pests &; diseases; FOREST ecology
- Publication
Environmental Entomology, 2016, Vol 45, Issue 5, p1131
- ISSN
0046-225X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1093/ee/nvw082