Integrating effects of neighbor interactions for pollination

Animal-pollinated plants interact with neighbors for both abiotic resources and pollination, with consequences for reproduction and yield. Yet few studies have compared the relative magnitude of these effects, particularly in agroecosystems. In vertically stratified communities, such as agroforests, neighbor effects may be stratum-dependent. Understanding the net effects of neighbors on crop yield is important for managing multifunctional agroecosystems to simultaneously support production and biodiversity. This study evaluated the effects of neighboring plants on pollen deposition, fertilization, and yield in Coffea arabica in a shaded organic coffee farm with high non-crop plant abundance and diversity in Chiapas, Mexico. We assessed the impact of 1) floral resources at three vertical strata (herbs, coffee bushes, and canopy trees) on stigma pollen load (a measure of interaction for pollination), and 2) floral density and canopy cover (proxies for competition for abiotic resources) on...