An Economic Cost/Benefit Tool to Assess Bee Pollinator Conservation, Pollination Strategies, and Sustainable Policies: A Lowbush Blueberry Case Study

Lowbush blueberry is a mass-flowering plant species complex that grows in both unmanaged wild landscapes and managed agricultural fields in northeastern regions of both the USA and Canada. During pollination, more than 120 native bee species are associated with lowbush blueberry ecosystems in Maine, USA, in addition to three commercially managed bees. Over a 29-year period, we sampled 209 lowbush blueberry fields using quadrat and transect sampling, recording both native bee and honey bee densities, honey bee hive stocking density, and native bees as a proportion of total bees. These data were used to simulate economic uncertainty in pollination. We developed a novel algorithm, the Economic Pollinator Level (EPL), to estimate bee densities that economically warrant pollination investments such as rented hives and planting bee pastures. Statistical modeling indicated both native bee and honey bee activity density predicted proportion fruit set in fields. Honey bee activity density was well predicted by hive stocking density. Proportion fruit set adequately predicted yield. EPL was most sensitive to fruit set/m2/bee and less dependent on berry weight, rented hive stocking density, hive rental cost, lowbush blueberry price, and the annual cost of planting/maintaining pollinator pastures. EPL can be used to sustainably balance economical pollination investments/decisions with bee conservation in lowbush blueberry crops and potentially other pollinator-dependent crops.