Abstract: We currently face two seemingly contradictory challenges: conserve biodiversity and feed a growing human population. Diversified agricultural practices, such as replacing sections of row crops with strips of prairie, could help to meet both challenges by providing habitat for wildlife and providing ecosystem services to agricultural crops. The aim of this study is to determine how the presence of prairie strips in row crop agriculture affects two types of insect-mediated ecosystem services: pollination and biological pest control by parasitoids. In addition, we also aim to determine how the presence of prairie strips influences the insect communities who provide these ecosystem services. Specifically, we evaluate how factors such as the position of the prairie strips, crop type, growing season timing, and the distance to the prairie strip affect pollinators, parasitoids, and the services they provide. In this study, we show that more ecosystem services are provided to the crop in areas closer to prairie strips. Additionally, we show that the abundance of some insect groups is higher closer to prairie strips, indicating that prairie strips could provide habitat or refuge in agricultural settings. In conclusion, our results provide information to policy makers and conservation practitioners to support the implementation of prairie strips as a tool for conserving biodiversity and improving crop outcomes.
