2025: The shape of water. Reflections, research, and strategies for the Pesa River agreement
Special Issue: Contratto di Fiume Pesa

Le casse di espansione lungo i fiumi Pesa ed Ombrone. Esperienze di miglioramenti ambientali a vantaggio degli impollinatori

Oana Catalina Moldoveanu
Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italia
Daniele Vergari
Consorzio di Bonifica 3 Medio Valdarno, Italia
Martino Maggioni
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italia. National Future Biodiversity Centre, Palermo, Italia. Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze.
Francesca Romana Dani
Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze. National Future Biodiversity Centre, Palermo, Italia

Published 2025-05-13

Keywords

  • pollinating insects,
  • enthomophilous plants,
  • flower strips,
  • peri-urban areas

How to Cite

Moldoveanu, O. C., Vergari, D., Maggioni, M., & Dani, F. R. (2025). Le casse di espansione lungo i fiumi Pesa ed Ombrone. Esperienze di miglioramenti ambientali a vantaggio degli impollinatori. Contesti. Città, Territori, Progetti, 241–255. https://doi.org/10.36253/contest-15526

Abstract

The steady loss of pollinating insect biodiversity is due to multiple factors acting in synergy, among the main, habitat fragmentation and degradation. The EU has developed environmental legislation that often calls for the need to reverse the decline of pollinators through directives covering agricultural and urban environments and the implementation of research and monitoring of these organism community. In such a context, the Consorzio di Bonifica Medio Valdarno and the Department of Biology of the University of Florence have implemented an environmental improvement project for the conservation of pollinators in peri-urban and marginal located in detention basins. This three-year project involved the sowing of entomophilous plant mixtures followed by monitoring of vegetation development and of the wild bee community. This project has allowed the development of guidelines for the management of this type of areas in favour of this functional group of insects.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

  1. ● Abrol D.P. 2012, Pollination Biology: Biodiversity Conservation and Agricultural Production. Springer Dordrecht.
  2. ● Ahrne ́ K., Bengtsson J., Elmqvist T. 2009, Bumble Bees (Bombus spp) along a gradient of increasing urbanization. PLoS ONE 4, e5574.
  3. ● Baldock K.C. 2020 Opportunities and threats for pollinator conservation in global towns and cities. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 38: 63–71.
  4. ● Baldock K.C.R., Goddard M.A., Hicks D.M. et al. 2015, Where is the UK’s pollinator biodiversity? The importance of urban areas for flower-visiting insects. Proceeding of the Royal Society, 282: 20142849.
  5. ● Baldock K.C.R., Goddard M.A., Hicks D.M. et al. 2019, A systems approach reveals urban pollinator hotspots and conservation opportunities. Nature Ecology and Evolution 3: 363–373.
  6. ● Barbir J., Badenes-Perez F.R., Fernandez-Quintanilla C., et al. 2015, The attractiveness of flowering herbaceous plants to bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) and hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in agro-ecosystems of Central Spain. Agriculture and Forest Entomology, 17: 20–28.
  7. ● Blaauw B.R., Isaacs R. 2014, Larger patches of diverse floral resources increase insect pollinator density, diversity, and their pollination of native wildflowers. Basic Applied Ecology, 15 (8): 701–711.
  8. ● Blackmore L.M., Goulson D. 2014, Evaluating the effectiveness of wildflower seed mixes for boosting floral diversity and bumblebee and hoverfly abundance in urban areas. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 7: 480–484.
  9. ● Bogusch P., Blahova E., Horak J. 2020, Pollen specialists are more endangered than non‑specialised bees even though they collect pollen on flowers of non‑endangered plants. Arthropod-Plant Interactions, 14:759–769.
  10. ● Bortolotti L., Galloni M., Alberoni D. 2023, Linee guida per la scelta delle specie botaniche di interesse apistico ammesse per l’eco-schema 5 e altre raccomandazioni. Rete Rurale Nazione 2014- 2020.
  11. ● Bush J., 2020, The role of local government greening policies in the transition towards nature-based cities. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 35: 35–44.
  12. ● Carrato a. 2008, "I Consorzi di bonifica e la disciplina dei relativi contributi: questioni sostanziali e processuali." Archivio delle locazioni e del condominio, 2008
  13. ● Danforth B.N., Minckley R.L., Neff J.L. et al. 2019, The Solitary Bees: Biology, Evolution, Conservation. Princeton University Press.
  14. ● Elbgami T., Kunin W.E., Hughes W.O.H. et al. 2014, The effect of proximity to a honeybee apiary on bumblebee colony fitness, development, and performance. Apidologie 45, 504–513.
  15. ● Exeler N., Kratochwil A., Hochkirch A., 2009, Restoration of riverine inland sand dune complexes: implications for the conservation of wild bees. Journal of Applied Ecology, 46: 1097–1105.
  16. ● Gallai N., Salles J., Settele J., Vaissière B.E. 2009, Economic valuation of the vulnerability of world agriculture confronted with pollinator decline. Ecological Economics, 68: 810-821.
  17. ● Garbuzov M., Alton K., Ratnieks F.L.W. 2017, Most ornamental plants on sale in garden centres are unattractive to flower-visiting insects. PeerJ 5, e3066.
  18. ● Garratt M.P.D., Senapathi D., Coston D.J., Mortimer S.R., Potts S.G. 2017, The benefits of hedgerows for pollinators and natural enemies depends on hedge quality and landscape context, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, Volume 247, Pages 363-370.
  19. ● Ghisbain G., Rosa P., Bogusch P., Flaminio S., Divelec R.L., Dorchin A., Kasparek M., Kuhlmann M., Litman J.R., Mignot M., Müller A., Praz C.J., Radchenko V.G., Rasmont P., Risch S., Roberts S.P., Smit J., Wood T.J., Michez D., Reverté S. 2023, The new annotated checklist of the wild bees of Europe (Hymenoptera: Anthophila). Zootaxa, 5327(1):1-147.
  20. ● Goulson D. 2013, An overview of the environmental risks posed by neonicotinoid insecticides. Journal of Applied Ecology, 50: 977–987.
  21. ● Griffiths-Lee J., Nicholls E., Goulson D. 2022, Sown mini-meadows increase pollinator diversity in gardens. Journal of Insect Conservation, 26: 299–314.
  22. ● Hall D.M., Camilo G.R., Tonietto R.K. et al. 2017, The city as a refuge for insect pollinators. Conservation Biology, 31 (1): 24–29.
  23. ● Heneberg P., Bogusch P., Rezac M. 2016, Off-road motorcycle circuits support long term persistence of bee sand wasps (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of open landscape at newly formed refugia within otherwise afforested temperate landscape. Ecology Engeneering, 93: 187–198.
  24. ● Heneberg P., Bogusch P., Schwarz M., Jansta P., Holý K., Reźac M., Astapenkov ́a A. 2022, Use of reed stalk trap nests by insects within the reed beds and in nearby steppic habitats. Ecology Engeneering, 185: 106809.
  25. ● Hicks D.M., Ouvrard P., Baldock K.C.R. et al. 2016, Food for Pollinators: Quantifying the Nectar and Pollen Resources of Urban Flower Meadows. PLOS ONE 11, e0158117.
  26. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/nature-and-biodiversity/nature-restoration-law_en.
  27. https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/urban-environment/urban-nature-platform_en.
  28. https://www.cbmv.it
  29. ● IPBES 2016, The assessment report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on pollinators, pollination and food. Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany 552.
  30. ● Jachuła J., Denisow B., Strzałkowska-Abramek M. 2019, Floral reward and insect visitors in six ornamental Lonicera species – Plants suitable for urban bee-friendly gardens, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, Volume 44: 126390.
  31. ● Kaluza B.F., Wallace H., Heard T.A. et al. 2016, Urban gardens promote bee foraging over natural habitats and plantations. Ecology and Evolution, 6: 1304 –1316.
  32. ● Kleijn D., Winfree R., Bartomeus I. et al. 2015, Delivery of crop pollination services is an insufficient argument for wild pollinator conservation. Nature Communications, 6.
  33. ● Kremen C., M'Gonigle L.K. 2015, EDITOR'S CHOICE: Small-scale restoration in intensive agricultural landscapes supports more specialized and less mobile pollinator species. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52: 602-610.
  34. ● Leonhardt S.D., Gallai N., Garibaldi L.A. et al. 2013, Economic gain, stability of pollination and bee diversity decrease from southern to northern Europe. Basic and Applied Ecology 14 (6), 461–471.
  35. ● Lindström S.A.M., Herbertsson L., Rundlöf M., Bommarco R., Smith G.H. 2016, Supplementary material from "Experimental evidence that honeybees depress wild insect densities in a flowering crop". The Royal Society Collection.
  36. ● MacIvor J.S. 2017, Cavity-nest boxes for solitary bees: a century of design and research. Apidologie 48: 311–327.
  37. ● Marquardt M., Kienbaum L., Kretschmer L.A. et al. 2021, Evaluation of the importance of ornamental plants for pollinators in urban and suburban areas in Stuttgart, Germany. Urban Ecosystems, 24: 811–825.
  38. ● Masierowska M., Stawiarz E., Rozwałka R. 2018, Perennial ground cover plants as floral resources for urban pollinators: A case of Geranium species. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 32: 185–194.
  39. ● Matteson K.C., Langellotto G.A. 2011, Small scale additions of native plants fail to increase beneficial insect richness in urban gardens: Native plant additions in urban gardens. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 4: 89–98.
  40. ● Michener C.D. 2007, The Bees of the World, Second edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, p. 953.
  41. ● Moldoveanu O.C., Maggioni M. and Dani F.R. 2024, Environmental ameliorations and politics in support of pollinators. Experiences from Europe: A review. Journal of Environmental Management, 362, p.121219.
  42. ● Muñoz A.E., Amouroux P., Zaviezo T. 2021, Native flowering shrubs promote beneficial insects in avocado orchards. Agriculture and Forest Entomology, 23: 463-472.
  43. ● Nichols, R.N., Goulson, D., Holland, J.M., 2019. The best wildflowers for wild bees. Journal of Insect Conservation, 23: 819–830.
  44. ● Nieto A., Roberts S.P.M., Kemp J. et al. 2014, European Red List of bees. Publication Office of the European Union, Luxembourg.
  45. ● Ollerton J. 2021, Pollinators & Pollination: Nature and Society. Pelagic Publishing Ltd.
  46. ● Ollerton J., Winfree R., Tarrant S. 2011, How many flowering plants are pollinated by animals? Oikos 120, 321–326.
  47. ● Pagliano G. 1995, Hymenoptera Apoidea.
  48. ● Pereira P., Baro F. 2022, Greening the city: Thriving for biodiversity and sustainability. Science of the Total Environment, 817: 153032.
  49. ● Potts S., Imperatriz-Fonseca V., Ngo H. et al. 2016, Safeguarding pollinators and their values to human well-being. Nature, 540: 220–229.
  50. ● Potts S.G., Biesmeijer J.C., Kremen C. et al. 2010, Global pollinator declines: trends, impacts and drivers. Trends In Ecology & Evolution 25 (6), 345–353.
  51. ● Proctor M.C., Yeo P.F., Lack A.J. 1947, Natural history of pollination.
  52. ● Rollings R., Goulson D. 2019, Quantifying the attractiveness of garden flowers for pollinators. Journal of Insect Conservation, 23:803–817.
  53. ● Simpson D.T., Weinman L.R., Genung M.A., Roswell M., MacLeod M., Winfree R. 2022, Many bee species, including rare species, are important for function of entire plant–pollinator networks. Proceedings of the Royal Society, 289: 20212689.
  54. ● Sponsler D.B., Matcham E.G., Lin C., Lanterman J.L., Johnson R.M. 2017, Spatial and taxonomic patterns of honeybee foraging: A choice test between urban and agricultural landscapes, Journal of Urban Ecology, Volume 3, Issue 1.
  55. ● Theodorou P., Radzeviciute R., Lentendu G. et al. 2020, Urban areas as hotspots for bees and pollination but not a panacea for all insects. Nature Communications, 11: 576.
  56. ● Tremblay L., Underwood E. 2023, Guidelines for monitoring pollinators in urban habitats, 2023. EU Horizon 2020 Safeguard Project, Grant agreement No 101003476.
  57. ● Twerd L., Banaszak-Cibicka W. 2019, Wastelands: their attractiveness and importance for preserving the diversity of wild bees in urban areas. Journal of Insect Conservation, 23: 573–588.
  58. ● Twerski A., Albrecht A., Fründ J., Moosner M., Fisher C. 2022, Effects of rare arable plants on flower-visiting wild bees in agricultural fields. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment.
  59. ● Walton R.E., Sayer C.D., Bennion H., Axmacher J.C. 2021, Open-canopy ponds benefit diurnal pollinator communities in an agricultural landscape: implications for farmland pond management. Journal of Insect Conservation and Diversity, 14: 307-324.
  60. ● Wilk B., Rebollo V., Hanania S. 2019, A guide for pollinator-friendly cities: How can spatial planners and land-use managers create favourable urban environments for pollinators? Guidance prepared by ICLEI Europe for the European Commission.
  61. ● Winfree R., Gross B.J., Kremen C., 2011, Valuing pollination services to agriculture. Ecological Economics, 71: 80–88.
  62. ● Wood T.J., Holland J.M., Goulson D. 2017, Providing foraging resources for solitary bees on farmland: current schemes for pollinators benefit a limited suite of species. Journal of Applied Ecology, 54: 323–333.