The interaction between birds, bees, and bats significantly increases the quantity and quality of macadamia nuts, according to a study published in Ecological Applications. In addition, the effectiveness of their ecosystem services, including pollination and pest control, is adapted to each area and whether it provides natural habitats.
“We used both observations and experiments to figure out how pollination and pest control – separately and together – affect plant production,” explained lead author Mina Anders from Göttingen University’s Functional Agrobiodiversity and Agroecology research group.
The team from the universities of Göttingen and Hohenheim in Germany Showed how insect pollination increased the number of macadamia nuts by four times compared to plants that relied just on wind pollination, significantly increasing yields. At the same time, birds and bats feeding on insect pests limited insect infestation by about 40%, improving the overall quality of the nuts.
“The benefits of pollination by insects were most noticeable in orchards where macadamia tree rows were oriented perpendicular to natural habitats. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of biological pest control decreased with elevation but was enhanced by the presence of nearby natural habitats,” said Professor Ingo Grass, Head of the University of Hohenheim’s Department of Tropical Agricultural Ecosystem Ecology.
Overall, the team concluded that pollination and pest control are crucial and complementary ecosystem services. What’s more, these factors can be optimised through innovative plantation design and the protection of natural habitats. “By managing these ecosystem services together, we can transition to more sustainable agriculture. This will boost agricultural productivity while reducing the need for chemicals that endanger biodiversity,” concluded Catrin Westphal, Professor of Functional Agrobiodiversity and Agroecology at Göttingen University.
Mina Anders et al. (2024) Complementary effects of pollination and biocontrol services enable ecological intensification in macadamia orchards. Ecological Applications, 10.1002/eap.3049