Research & reports
Peer-reviewed research and reports on community urban agriculture, food education, composting, welfare and more.
Theme
Critical findings
56 results(2 / 3)
Entomofauna benéfica en la diversidad arbórea de la agricultura urbana en Pinar del Río, Cuba
2023Lisandra Hernández-Guanche, Yoerlandy Santana Baños, Yusniel Dago-Dueñas, Ramón Hernández Carballo, Armando Del Busto-Concepción · Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Agrícolas · Cuba
This study identified the beneficial entomofauna associated with arboreal species in urban agriculture settings in Pinar del Río, Cuba. Between September 2019 and March 2020, a floristic inventory of arboreal biodiversity was conducted, and samples of bioregulators were collected. Twenty-three arboreal species were inventoried, with 65% being fruit trees. The highest species richness was detected in the orders Diptera, Mesostigmata, Hymenoptera, and Araneae. The most frequent bioregulators were Condylostylus sp., Ocyptamus costatus, and Phytoseiulus sp., while the arboreal species with the highest proportion of associated arthropods were Persea americana, Citrus limon, Morinda citrifolia, and Psidium guajava.
BiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleLow resource availability drives feeding niche partitioning between wild bees and honeybees in a European city
2022Joan Casanelles‐Abella, Simone Fontana, Bertrand Fournier, David Frey, Marco Moretti · Ecological Applications · Switzerland (Zurich)
This study in 23 urban gardens in Zurich, Switzerland, examined feeding niche partitioning between wild bees and honeybees. Researchers found that feeding niche partitioning increased with wild bee species richness and in sites with lower landscape-scale resource availability, which also had lower honeybee abundances. However, beekeeping intensity at local and landscape scales did not directly influence community feeding niche partitioning or wild bee species richness, suggesting direct competition for resources was not a main driver for the wild bee community.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityGoldilocks’ quarter-hectare urban farm: An agent-based model for improved pollination of community gardens and small-holder farms
2022Alan Dorin, Tim Taylor, Adrian G. Dyer · PLOS Sustainability and Transformation · Global
This study used an agent-based model to explore the impact of insect flower constancy, heterospecific pollen transfer, and crop patch size on pollination in urban farms. It found that highly constant pollinators were most effective in the smallest patches, while less constant insects performed better in intermediate-sized areas. The model identified an optimal "Goldilocks zone" for pollination around 11m x 11m, suggesting that collaborative management to increase single-crop patch size could improve pollination in community farms.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsThe Importance of Urban Green Spaces for Pollinating Insects: The Case of the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti
2022Pierre Michard Beaujour, Frank Cézilly · Caribbean Journal of Science · Haiti (Port-au-Prince)
This survey assessed the distribution of pollinating insect orders in 16 urban green sites in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from January to April 2018. Researchers collected 2,747 pollinating insects and found that insect order richness was significantly higher at agroforestry plantations compared to unexploited forest remnants. Site area, elevation, and built area percentage had no significant influence on the total number of insects collected.
BiodiversityPollinatorsUrban–rural linkageA little does a lot: Can small-scale planting for pollinators make a difference?
2022Philip Donkersley, Sammy Witchalls, Elias H. Bloom, David W. Crowder · Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment · Global
A meta-analysis of 31 studies and a 5-year study on small pollinator habitats (30 m²) at community gardens and farms (150,000 m²) assessed the effect of pollinator planting interventions. Pollinator conservation interventions increased species richness and abundance in almost all studies, with greatest increases from hedgerows (40 m²) and herbaceous interventions (500 m²). Small interventions (∼500 m²) can significantly benefit pollinators, but only when densely distributed at a landscape level, and future research is needed on their cumulative effects.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityBeekeeping in, of or for the city? A socioecological perspective on urban apiculture
2021Sponsler D. B. · People and Nature · Global (review)
A socioecological perspective on urban apiculture examining whether urban beekeeping serves cities, bees, or beekeepers, and its implications for wild pollinator conservation and management.
PollinatorsPolicyUrban agroforestry as a strategy for aligning agroecology with resilience planning initiatives
2021Sarah Taylor Lovell, John Taylor · · Global
This paper discusses urban agroforestry (UAF) as a strategy to integrate fruit and nut production into urban settings, emphasizing the inclusion of agroecological principles for improved design. It suggests that UAF can be intentionally integrated into urban landscapes, considering synergies with adjacent land uses. Guidelines for planting design can draw from multi-strata systems found in permaculture and food forest literature.
BiodiversityPollinatorsFood sovereignty & justicePolicyA polinização por abelhas sob a perspectiva da Abordagem de Serviços Ecossistêmicos (ASE)
2021Fernanda Rodrigues Vieira, Daniel Caixeta Andrade, Francis Lee Ribeiro · Revista Ibero-Americana de Ciências Ambientais · Global
This systematic review analyzed 45 publications from Web of Science up to September 2020 to examine the benefits of bee pollination through the Ecosystem Services Approach. The review found a significant increase in publications over the last two decades, with 84.44% associating pollination with rural agricultural productivity, 8.88% with wild plant reproduction, and 6.66% with urban agriculture. Only 7 of the 45 studies conducted economic valuation of pollination.
PollinatorsBiodiversityOrganic cycleUrbanization Affects Composition but Not Richness of Flower Visitors in the Yungas of Argentina
2020Amado De Santis A. A., Chacoff N. P. · Neotropical Entomology · Yungas, Argentina
Analysing citizen-science plant-flower-visitor interaction data along an urbanization gradient in the northern Argentinian Yungas, the study found urbanization alters community composition rather than species richness of flower visitors.
PollinatorsBiodiversityFirst records of the introduced African carder bee, Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (Hymenoptera : Megachilidae), in Western Australia
2020Kit Prendergast · Pacific Conservation Biology · Australia
The African carder bee, Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum, first recorded in Queensland in 2000, has now been found in Western Australia, marking a significant distribution expansion. Three confirmed and one unconfirmed localities were identified in the Mandurah region, with abundant female specimens observed in one garden. The presence of this introduced species necessitates vigilance due to known negative impacts on native fauna and flora.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityCaracterización de la meliponicultura en dos ecosistemas de la provincia de Cienfuegos
2020Brandon García Rodríguez, José Andrés Martínez Machado, Reinier Lop Herrera, Reina Dayamí Reyna Reyes · Revista Científica Agroecosistemas · Cuba (Cienfuegos)
A study on the use of Meliponinos was conducted in two meliponarios in Cienfuegos province, Cuba, specifically in San Fernando de Camarones and Pueblo Nuevo. Interviews with bee owners and community members identified factors affecting the sustainable development of Meliponicultura within Urban, Suburban, and Family Agriculture systems. Findings indicated a tendency for the Melipona beecheii population to increase in both municipalities, and common factors affecting bees were identified.
BiodiversityPollinatorsPeri-urban agricultureCommunityOdla tillsammans
2020Paul Sherfey · Budkavlen · Global
This study explores human-animal relationships, particularly with insects, in collective gardens through observation and digital research. It demonstrates that in collective gardens, cultivating community is as important as cultivating organic produce, and this community includes not only humans but also animal species like insects. The article analyzes why gardeners show interest in building hotels and cafes, sowing meadows, and arranging festivals for insects, especially bees, and contrasts discourses about bees with the lack of similar discourse about wasps, considering how different cultural heritages affect the value placed on species.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsOrganic cycleOpportunities and threats for pollinator conservation in global towns and cities
2020Katherine C. R. Baldock · Current Opinion in Insect Science · Global
Urban expansion is a major threat to biodiversity, yet some pollinator groups, particularly bees, can thrive in urban areas. Recent studies indicate that local floral resources and the amount of impervious cover influence pollinator abundance, richness, and community composition. Urban intensification, chemicals, climate change, and increased honey bee colony densities all negatively affect urban pollinators.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityCreating the Urban Farmer’s Almanac with Citizen Science Data
2019Kathleen L. Prudic, J. Keaton Wilson, Michelle C. Toshack, Katharine L. Gerst, Alyssa Rosemartin, Theresa M. Crimmins, Jeffrey C. Oliver · Insects · Global
This study introduced web-based citizen science programs to assist urban growers in managing insect biodiversity on city farms, a complex task given the estimated 30% of the global urban population engaged in food production. The programs aim to connect growers with relevant data and experts for informed insect management decisions. It suggests that combining citizen science volunteers with urban farmers can clarify ecosystem services, reduce insecticide use, and promote non-chemical alternatives.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsReconocimiento y caracterización de la Flora Arvense encontradas en Huertas urbanas asistidas por EL Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis
2019Uvianeth Castañeda Maldonado · · Colombia (Bogotá)
The recognition and characterization of arvense flora (weeds) found in urban gardens assisted by the Bogotá Botanical Garden in Bogotá, Colombia, were conducted. A catalog of arvense recognition for the Capital District was developed, representing 36 species of weeds belonging to 15 families of the Magnoliopsida class. This catalog includes photographic records, field observations, and information on pollinator presence, serving as an important consultation tool for the district's flora.
CommunityBiodiversityPollinatorsSite attributes for PLOS ONE article
2019Sarah Taylor Lovell · · Global
This data describes the landscape attributes of nineteen sites as supplemental information for an article by Bennett, A.B., and Lovell, S.T., accepted for publication in PLOS ONE, which discusses how landscape and local site variables differentially influence pollinators and pollination services in urban agricultural sites.
BiodiversityPollinatorsBuzzing on top: Linking wild bee diversity, abundance and traits with green roof qualities
2018Kratschmer S., Kriechbaum M., Pachinger B. · Urban Ecosystems, 21:429–446 · Austria (Vienna)
Monthly surveys on nine Vienna green roofs in 2014 recorded 992 wild bees of 90 species. Forage availability and fine substrates strongly boosted diversity and abundance; ground-nesting social bees and Sedum bloom-period foraging shaped a distinct rooftop bee community.
PollinatorsBiodiversityUnder the Microscope – Answer
2018Trevor A Lambkin · Metamorphosis Australia magazine of the Butterfly & Other Invertebrates Club · Australia
This article discusses native bees, noting their weak jaws result in a tickle-like bite and that indigenous peoples globally have extracted their honey for various uses. Research into native bees for crop pollination began in 1984, leading to the development of hive propagation techniques by 1987. The keeping of native bees, particularly the subtropical Carbonaria species, has since gained popularity among various groups including schools and community gardens.
PollinatorsBiodiversityCommunityThe city as a refuge for insect pollinators
2017Hall D.M., Camilo G.R., Tonietto R.K., Ollerton J., Ahrné K., Arduser M., Ascher J.S., Baldock K.C.R., Fowler R., Frankie G., Goulson D., Gunnarsson B., Hanley M.E., Jackson J.I., Langellotto G., Lowenstein D., Minor E.S., Philpott S.M., Potts S.G., Sirohi M.H., Spevak E.M., Stone G.N., Threlfall C.G. · Conservation Biology, 31(1):24-29 · Global
A review by an international team arguing that, as pollinators decline globally under agricultural intensification and pesticide use, cities can serve as important refuges for insect pollinators including native bees. It highlights the conservation value of designing and managing urban green spaces such as gardens and community plots for pollinators, framing citizen urban agriculture as a contributor to biodiversity conservation.
PollinatorsBiodiversityCommunityPolicyUrban agriculture
2017Brenda B. Lin, Monika Egerer · · Global
Urban agriculture, the production of food and livestock in urban areas, is a key component of urban green infrastructure, supported for food security and biodiversity enhancement. While habitat management in urban agriculture aids local biodiversity and food production, the effect of native plants on beneficial insects and ecosystem function is debatable. Declines in urban bees are likely linked to increased impervious cover, which reduces habitat and restricts bee movement.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityFood sovereignty & justice도시양봉으로 양봉산업의 발전가능성 확보 방안
2017박진 · 한국양봉학회 학술대회 자료집 · Global
This report examines the global rise of urban beekeeping, noting its diverse approaches across countries like the UK, Japan, and Denmark. While South Korea has seen an increase in urban beekeeping since 2012, with government support initiated in 2016, the sector faces significant challenges. Urban beekeeping is still largely viewed as a derivative of conventional beekeeping, and a lack of ordinances or legal frameworks hinders its widespread adoption and recognition of its environmental, social, and economic value.
Governance failureBiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityPolicyEconomicsThe Bees among Us: Modelling Occupancy of Solitary Bees
2016J. Scott MacIvor, Laurence Packer · PLoS ONE · Global
This study modeled the occupancy probability of six solitary bee species using nest boxes set along an urbanization gradient over three consecutive years. Native M. pugnata showed decreased occupancy with increasing building footprint, and a similar but not significant pattern was found for native O. pumila. Conversely, introduced M. rotundata and M. centuncularis, along with native M. campanulae, exhibited increased occupancy with rising urbanization.
Environmental trade-offsBiodiversityPollinatorsClimate changeLandscape and Local Habitat Correlates of Lady Beetle Abundance and Species Richness in Urban Agriculture
2016Monika Egerer, Peter Bichier, Stacy M. Philpott · Annals of the Entomological Society of America · Global
This study identified landscape and local habitat factors influencing lady beetle abundance and species richness in urban community gardens. Assessing 19 gardens over two years, it found that the amount of natural area surrounding gardens at 3 km was the strongest correlate of abundance and species richness. Gardens embedded in more urban landscapes had higher lady beetle abundance and richness, suggesting that urban landscape quality and local habitat management may interact to shape lady beetle communities within gardens.
BiodiversityPollinatorsCommunityTemporal dynamics influenced by global change: bee community phenology in urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes
2015Misha Leong, Lauren C. Ponisio, Claire Kremen, Robbin W. Thorp, George Roderick · Global Change Biology · Global
This study investigated the impact of human-altered landscapes on the seasonal patterns of bee communities, using three years of data on the spatio-temporal distributions of 91 bee species in urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes. Seasonal patterns of abundance and species richness in human-altered landscapes varied significantly less compared to natural habitats, where floral resources are relatively scarce in the dry summer months. These findings demonstrate that anthropogenic environmental changes in urban and agricultural systems, mediated through changes in plant resources and water inputs, can alter the temporal dynamics of bee pollinators.
PollinatorsBiodiversityClimate changeHabitat connectivity shapes urban arthropod communities: the key role of green roofs
2014Braaker S., Ghazoul J., Obrist M.K., Moretti M. · Ecology, 95(4):1010-1021 · Switzerland (Zurich)
By sampling carabid beetles, spiders, weevils and bees on green roofs and ground-level green spaces in Zurich, this study compares community composition and tests the relative importance of local environment, microclimate and connectivity. Connectivity among roofs and to ground habitats emerged as a key driver of species composition, demonstrating that green roofs can act as stepping stones that support biodiversity in the surrounding urban ecosystem — a landmark case for connectivity-aware green-roof placement in city design.
BiodiversityPollinators