Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

What Is the Value of and Who Values Native Bee Pollination for Wild Blueberries and Cranberries?

Aaron K. Hoshide
* ORCID logo ,
Francis A. Drummond
ORCID logo ,
Thomas H. Stevens
,
Eric Venturini
,
Samuel P. Hanes
,
Martha M. Sylvia
,
Cynthia S. Loftin
ORCID logo ,
David E. Yarborough
,
Anne L. Averill
Version 1 : Received: 30 June 2018 / Approved: 3 July 2018 / Online: 3 July 2018 (06:33:59 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Hoshide, A.K.; Drummond, F.A.; Stevens, T.H.; Venturini, E.M.; Hanes, S.P.; Sylvia, M.M.; Loftin, C.S.; Yarborough, D.E.; Averill, A.L. What Is the Value of Wild Bee Pollination for Wild Blueberries and Cranberries, and Who Values It? Environments 2018, 5, 98. Hoshide, A.K.; Drummond, F.A.; Stevens, T.H.; Venturini, E.M.; Hanes, S.P.; Sylvia, M.M.; Loftin, C.S.; Yarborough, D.E.; Averill, A.L. What Is the Value of Wild Bee Pollination for Wild Blueberries and Cranberries, and Who Values It? Environments 2018, 5, 98.

Abstract

Recent pollinator declines have focused efforts on their conservation which require clear estimates of pollination value to agriculture. Our socio-economic producer surveys and agronomic field research data were used to present a new way of estimating ecosystem service value of native pollinators. Using two regionally important U.S.A. crops, Maine wild blueberry and Massachusetts cranberry as models, we present perceived values of native bee pollinators from both consumer and producers. Wild blueberry’s Replacement Cost (RC) was greater than Attributable Net Income (ANI), since greater rented honey bee stocking densities are required. Attributable Net Income for native bees were similar for wild blueberry ($613/ha) and cranberry ($689/ha). Marginal Net Farm Income (MNFI) from incrementally adding more hives per ha was greater from stocking a third/fourth hive per ha for cranberry ($6,206) than stocking a ninth/tenth hive per ha for wild blueberry ($556), given greater responsiveness of yield, revenue, and profit to using rented honey bee hives in cranberry compared to wild blueberry. Both crops’ producers were only willing to annually invest $140–188/ha in native pollination enhancements on their farms, justifying government support. Consumers are willing to pay ~6.7 times more to support native bees than producers, supporting market-based support for invertebrate conservation.

Keywords

pollination value; native bees; economics; production function; willingness to pay; contingent valuation; stated preference; wild blueberry; cranberry; survey

Subject

Business, Economics and Management, Economics

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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