Can Native Vegetation in Agroecosystems Provide a Net Benefit for Pollinators, Despite Pesticide Use?

Pollinator health and population declines are of global concern, with ramifications for biodiversity conservation and the human food supply. Although the establishment of native flowering vegetation is a broadly supported pollinator conservation strategy, concerns about enhancing habitat in agroecosystems with widespread pesticide use remain. To evaluate this trade-off, we synthesized research findings for prairie strips, a model conservation practice that involves patches of diverse, native plants within row-crop fields. Prairie strips enhance pollinator forage quantity and quality, support a more diverse and abundant wild bee community, sustain monarch butterflies, and increase managed honey bee productivity. Although exposure to pesticides may occur, concentrations are typically below levels that have negative impacts on pollinator health. We discuss knowledge gaps and conclude native vegetation enhancements in agricultural landscapes, including those with widespread pesticide use, are a promising strategy for pollinator conservation, with the potential for net positive effects despite pesticide exposure.