Agricultural intensification at local and landscape scales impacts sweet cherry production through altered pollination services

Fruit production strongly depends on insect pollination. However, intensification of crop production both at the local and landscape scale can influence pollinator communities, potentially impacting the corresponding pollination services. Here, we investigated how agricultural intensification impacts the production of sweet cherry (Prunus avium), a crop highly dependent on wild pollinators for reproduction, through modifications of pollinator communities and pollination services. Specifically, we considered the influence of local management (organic vs. conventional), presence of beehives in orchards’ proximity, and landscape characteristics. Conventional management and landscape simplification negatively affected wild pollinator communities. Honeybees were found to interfere with both wild pollinator abundance and visitation rate, suggesting potential competition for flower resources. Sweet cherry fruit set was positively influenced by pollinator diversity but it was not affected by honeybee abundance. In addition, we found cherry quality (sugar content) to be negatively correlated to fruit set, indicating a potential trade-off between cherry production and biodiversity conservation. Finally, to support pollination services and hence production in cherry orchards, it is crucial to prioritize management practices that effectively safeguard wild pollinators, rather than relying on the introduction of numerous honeybee colonies into the agroecosystem. Pollinator management within the orchard however should account for potential trade-offs between fruit set and cherry quality.