Author(s): S. A. DAR, G. M. MIR, M. A. PARRY, S.H. PARRY, M. YAQOB AND R. KHRUSHEED

Abstract: The declines in honeybee populations in Indian have highlighted the importance of native bee conservation, and the need for research on the ecological requirements of native bees in various landscapes. In this study, we investigated the value of hedgerows as foraging habitat for native bees in mosaics of small scale agriculture and natural vegetation in the landscapes of Kashmir division. In the spring of 2013-14 we surveyed bees and flowers in four habitats: hedgerows, agricultural fields, grasslands, and native woodland. We investigated that how hedgerows varied compare to other available habitats in bee abundance and species richness; species composition in hedgerows compare to species composition in agricultural fields and woodland. We found that hedgerows were attractive foraging habitat for native bees, especially in early spring and summer. Cumulative species richness was highest in hedgerows, although cumulative species richness did not significantly differ among fields, hedgerows, and woodland. While bee faunas overlapped among habitats, bee assemblages in hedgerows were more similar to those in fields than to those woodlands. The flowering shrubs were important in attracting bees that were otherwise uncommon in the landscape, including some species that are potentially valuable pollinators of stone fruit crops such as peach, plum andrncherry.

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