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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Investigating Routes Of Pollinator Exposure To Pesticides, Jessica Cole
Investigating Routes Of Pollinator Exposure To Pesticides, Jessica Cole
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Pesticides are widely used in agriculture to minimize the negative impact of harmful pests. However, the use of pesticides also has non-target effects on beneficial insects such pollinators. In addition to the direct harm to pollinators foraging on crops during pesticide application, pesticides are also frequently utilized in non-agricultural settings, and can drift to non-target areas via the wind and water. Plants growing in such contaminated soils may absorb pesticides and express them in their flowers, specifically the pollen and nectar upon which pollinators rely. This is particularly important because encouraging wildflower growth alongside fields is a common strategy to …
No Farm Is An Island: Pollinators And Pollination In Agricultural Landscapes, Charles C. Nicholson
No Farm Is An Island: Pollinators And Pollination In Agricultural Landscapes, Charles C. Nicholson
Graduate College Dissertations and Theses
Productive, resilient and sustainable agricultural systems are required to meet the immediate needs of a burgeoning human population, while avoiding ecosystem collapse. Agriculture provides food, fiber, fuels and other products for our current population of 7 billion and is still the major livelihood for 40% of people worldwide. By replacing natural habitat and employing chemical inputs, agriculture also negatively impacts biodiversity and impairs the provision of ecosystem services. This poses a challenge for agriculture as these impacted services are often those required for high yielding and high-quality crop production. Evidence is accumulating that agricultural management can safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem …