Data to accompany from: Effects of neonicotinoid seed treatments on wildbee populations and soybean and corn fields in eastern Ontario

We assessed the relationship between agricultural crop soil neonicotinoid levels and wild bee abundance and diversity at 16 agricultural sites representing different soil neonicotinoid levels. We detected clothianidin at 11 sites, thiamethoxam at three sites; imidacloprid was not detected. Hedgerow and crop soils were consistent in terms of where clothianidin was detected; thiamethoxan was not detected in hedgerow soils.

Based on model outcomes, fields with higher levels of soil neonicotinoids exhibited significantly lower wild bee abundance and diversity than those with low or no neonicotinoids detected. Crop soil neonicotinoid level, hedgerow floral resource abundance and crop type were consistent predictors of bee abundance across models; only neonicotinoid level and crop type were significant predictors of diversity. Our results are consistent with recent findings in the midwestern US, and underscore the potential risk of soil neonicotinoids to wild bee populations across regions and crop systems.

Methods

Field data (wild bee surveys with pan traps, soil samples). Pesticide tests were performed on the soil samples as per the methods in the paper.