Graduate research from the LTER shows that prairie strips planted within agricultural monocrops are not an “ecological trap” for native pollinators - but they also don’t reduce insecticide runoff that may pose a threat. Agriculture is essential, but the lack of biodiversity in farmland can create ecological barrens. Prairie strips - the long, thin strips of tallgrass prairie vegetation planted adjacent to agriculture - have potential to bring ecosystem services into agricultural spaces, such as increased pollination, enhanced microbial diversity, and containment of nutrient runoff
The surprising connection between neonicotinoids, soybean aphid, and invasive ladybeetles
This post explores a new paper by KBS LTER scientists Drs. Christie Bahlai and Doug Landis, Shifts in dynamic regime of an invasive lady beetle are linked to the invasion and insecticidal management of its prey. The paper is now available as a preprint at Ecological Applications. A version of this post, written by Dr. Bahai, originally appeared on her blog, Practical Data Management for Bug Counters. ~~ Neonicotinoids, a commonly used class of broad-spectrum insecticides, have been the subject of much controversy in recent years, particularly their impacts on bees, birds, and their gene