Is early pollination to lowbush blueberry an ecosystem service or disservice?

Pollination is frequently identified as an important ecosystem service to agricultural production. In contrast, ecosystem disservices are rarely considered. This study explores pollinator service versus disservice in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) production. This crop is highly managed, requires insect pollination, and has a relatively long bloom; when combined, these characteristics may cause a portion of early season pollination to result in premature ripening and loss. To test this, we exposed early and late flowering clones to early season (wild) pollination only or late season (wild and managed) pollination only. Contrary to our hypothesis of disservice, pre-harvest loss, shatter, and sugar content were consistent across treatments, even though early season pollination plots exhibited heavier berries. Remarkably, early season pollination plots produced over 70% of the total production of late season pollination plots. These results suggest that early season pollination by wild pollinators does not present an ecosystem disservice to lowbush blueberry production.