Woody habitats promote pollinators and complexity of plant–pollinator interactions in homegardens located in rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras

Woody habitats significantly enhance bee diversity and abundance, as well as the complexity of plant-pollinator interactions in homegardens within the UNESCO-listed Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. The study found that wild bee richness was higher in gardens surrounded by woody areas compared to those farther from woodlands, while bee abundance increased with greater flower cover. Wild bees were also more active on cultivated plants than domesticated bees (Apis cerana), contributing to 76% of total flower visits. Pollinator-plant networks were more intricate in gardens near woody habitats, highlighting the ecological importance of preserving and restoring such landscapes for sustainable pollination services in smallholder agricultural systems.

Schrader, J., Franzén, M., Sattler, C., Ferderer, P., & Westphal, C. (2017). Woody habitats promote pollinators and complexity of plant–pollinator interactions in homegardens located in rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. Paddy and Water Environment, 16(2), 253–263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10333-017-0612-0