Pollinating insects thrive in varied landscapes and the agricultural system has less bearing on the number of species. But in more monotonous farmlands can organic farming contribute to a wider range of pollinating insects.
“How does the agricultural system and type of landscape affect the species composition of pollinators?” This question researchers at Lund University tried to answer in a study conducted in southern Sweden. They found that in crop fields in more varied landscapes, there were more species of pollinating insects, and the species number declined as the landscape became less varied. This decrease was most pronounced in field grown conventionally while organic fields where more able to maintain the width of pollinating insects also in monotonous landscapes. However, there was no clear difference in the species composition of pollinators between organic and conventional fields if they were in a varied landscape.
Radio spot about the study in Vetenskapsradion, Sveriges Radio (in Swedish)
Andersson G, Birkhofer K, Rundlöf B, Smith HG. 2013. Landscape heterogeneity and farming practice alter the species composition and taxonomic breadth of pollinator communities. Basic and applied ecology.
Link to scientific article