SOURCE OF FUNDING: Newton Fund
SUMMARY: The expansion and intensification of agriculture have been linked to the loss of pollinators and a decline in pollination services. Although multiple factors contribute to this phenomenon, the loss or degradation of natural habitats is considered one of the main drivers. Therefore, effective monitoring of pollinator populations and the impact of land use on pollination services is crucial to evaluate the environmental management costs. In the SURPASS2 project's working group, we are studying how wild insects, mainly bees, provide key pollination services to a range of crops in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile, and how these services are affected by the characteristics of the surrounding landscape that sustain these wild pollinators. We are studying two crops that reflect different production models: soybeans and blueberries. The studies on soybean fields are being conducted in Argentina and Brazil. Blueberries are a common crop in the three central countries of the study (Brazil, Argentina, Chile), while Soybeans are studied in many sites across Argentina and Brazil. Therefore, offer the opportunity to implement a common experimental design throughout the region to evaluate the dependencies of pollination and the impacts on biodiversity of this crop.
RESPONSIBLE INVESTIGATOR AT IER: Natacha Chacoff
COLLABORATING GROUP: Silvio Castillo, Andres Ramirez-Mejia, Pedro Blendinger, Carolina Monmany, Roxana Aragón, Carolina Cuezzo
CONTACT: Natacha Chacoff nchacoff@gmail.com