by Briann Dorin, EUC postdoctoral researcher

Pollinators play a vital role in agricultural landscapes by pollinating both wild and cultivated flowering plants, facilitating plant reproduction and contributing to the yield and quality of many major food crops. However, recent assessments across the United States and Canada estimate that more than one in five pollinator species are at risk of extinction. Among insect pollinators, bees exhibit the highest extinction risk, with roughly 35% of assessed species showing elevated vulnerability. These declines are driven by multiple interacting pressures, including the loss and degradation of their habitat, changes in climate and weather patterns, interactions with non-native and invasive species, and exposure to pesticides and other pollutants. Preventing further declines will require research that identifies agricultural land management practices capable of reducing exposure to these threats while providing the resources, like flowers and nesting sites, that bees need across the diversity of species.

My postdoctoral research builds on field studies conducted during my PhD in vineyards across Niagara, Ontario. I examined how wild bees respond to vineyard management practices and the surrounding landscape composition to understand which factors support healthy bee communities. That work identified several management practices that shaped the abundance, diversity, and types of bee species present at vineyard sites. This included the frequency of mowing between vine rows, the use of cover crops in this space, and grower participation in certification programs such as organic farming. Factors in the surrounding landscape, including the amount of nearby semi-natural habitat such as forests and hedgerows, as well as soil texture, also played important roles in structuring bee communities. These findings highlight that both on-farm management decisions and the broader landscape context contribute to the conditions that support or constrain wild bees in agricultural systems.

Building on this ecological foundation, my postdoctoral research focuses on the policy and human dimensions of pollinator conservation in agricultural landscapes. Sustainable farming policies and programs offered across federal and provincial jurisdictions are being assessed to identify how these initiatives directly and indirectly address the major threats facing bees. This includes examining program design, the practices being supported, and where gaps remain in supporting pollinators and reducing pressures on wild bees. At the same time, I am examining the perspectives of farmers and producers whose decisions ultimately determine how these programs are implemented on the ground. Farmers must balance environmental stewardship with maintaining economically viable operations. Understanding practical and realistic pathways for adopting pollinator-friendly practices is therefore essential, as well as identifying the types of supports that can facilitate their implementation. By integrating ecological data, policy analysis, and producer perspectives, this research aims to develop a more comprehensive understanding of farm management for pollinators and the social and economic contexts in which management decisions occur. This holistic approach can help identify opportunities to strengthen pollinator-supporting initiatives and inform strategies that align with both the ecological needs of pollinators and the realities of farming.