OPTIMIZATION OF FLOWER STRIPS FOR ATTRACTING INSECTS PROVIDING DUAL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN AGROECOSYSTEMS: AN ANALYTICAL REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/biosystems2025.03.411Keywords:
conservation biological control, resource concentration hypothesis, enemy hypothesis, parasitoid nectar provision hypothesis, floral nectaries, extrafloral nectaries, chemical signals, flower color, scent, ecosystem services, pollination, biological controlAbstract
Parasitoid insects can be regarded as dual ecosystem service providers in agroecosystems, as they combine two key functions: pollination at the adult stage and biological pest control at the larval stage. Three classical ecological concepts – the enemy hypothesis, the resource concentration hypothesis, and the parasitoid nectar provision hypothesis –have formed the theoretical basis of conservation biological control aimed at creating favorable conditions for maintaining parasitoid viability and effectiveness. A key tool of this approach involves increasing plant diversity by establishing flower strips that serve as additional nectar resources for beneficial insects. However, the effectiveness of this measure is constrained by several limiting factors, including increased pressure from hyperparasitoids; reduced biological control efficiency when nectar resources in flower strips overlap for parasitoids and phytophagous insects; and the induction of parasitoid dispersal in response to resource convergence.
This article presents, for the first time, a scientific rationale for an approach to designing flower strips for conserving insects that provide dual ecosystem services. Our approach is focused on creating an autonomous trophic niche for parasitoids based on their preferences in nectar accessibility, as well as flower color and aromatic characteristics. Based on an analysis of the literature, specific nutritional and sensory priorities of parasitoids are identified in comparison with hyperparasitoids and pest insects, creating prerequisites for increasing the selectivity and stability of conservation biological control in agroecosystems.
The aim of this study is to identify and substantiate strategies for strengthening conservation biological control in agroecosystems by forming a highly specialized trophic niche for adult parasitoids through optimized plant species selection for flower strips, based on flower color, scent, and nectar productivity.
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