Integrating Pollinators into BioEnergy Crops

The dramatic decline of native and managed pollinator populations has been well documented in the past decade. Population declines are attributed to several factors, but chief among them is the continued loss of specific pollinator Habitat needs. The establishment of pollinator field borders associated with dedicated Energy crops is not a common practice that is currently used or promoted. This project will help determine the pollinator Habitat value differences between placing the Habitat on unharvested field edges vs. incorporating throughout a field that will be harvested for dedicated Energy crops. This project will begin to address the critical pollinator Habitat needs by integrating pollinator Habitat into bioEnergy production fields. Pollinator Habitat will be designed and established using seeding mixtures designed to produce: 1) a diversity of flowering species throughout the entire growing season; 2) species with different size, shape and color of flowering parts; and 3) Habitat structures that provide access to bare ground for native pollinator nesting sites.