Dominant Wild Pollinators of Moroccan Crops Are Soil Nesting and Pollen Generalist Bees

Abstract

ABSTRACT Crop pollination by animals is a crucial ecosystem service that enhances the yield and the quality of 75% of major food crops worldwide. Wild bees play a significant role in this process as they are diverse and abundant visitors to crops and are known for their efficiency. However, in many parts of the world, including Morocco, there is no available commented list of wild bee species visiting crops (crop‐associated species). Here, we investigated the presence of wild bees associated with agricultural landscapes and described key trait characteristics of these bee species. Pollinator communities were sampled by sweep net and pan trapping across a total of 263 fields containing nine flowering main crops in 2018–2019. Key crop‐visiting species were identified as those species which made up 5% or more of the individuals visiting the flowers of each crop. Out of the 359 pollinator species occurring in agroecosystems, 156 were crop‐associated bee species and only 26 bee species were classified as key crop‐pollinating species. The bee communities observed in the crops were predominantly composed of widespread, solitary, pollen generalist, ground‐nesting bees with an extended flight season. Our findings provide essential baseline data on crop flower visitors which can contribute to the enhancement of the regional understanding of wild bee diversity and functional traits associated with crop pollination. Moreover, this information can facilitate the implementation of conservation strategies to improve wild‐bee habitats within agricultural landscapes.