Open forest successional stages and landscape heterogeneity promote wild bee diversity in temperate forests

Conservation Science and Practice, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 4(12)

Published: Nov. 5, 2022

Abstract Recent studies have emphasized forests as crucial habitat for wild bees. In Europe, most are managed following the principles of close‐to‐nature silviculture, which combine timber production and nature conservation. However, open late early successional stages within these largely missing, could be important This highlights that silviculture alone might not sufficient to conserve bees temperate forests. Open structures such canopy gaps road verges in improve To provide management recommendations bee conservation forests, we analyzed how components beta diversity varied between forest types tested structures, namely clear‐cuts, gaps, influenced abundance, richness, diversity. addition, abundance percent red‐listed species at different scales. Bees were sampled using 90 pan traps on 45 (1 ha) plots 2019 2020 Black Forest, Germany. Plots selected 15 triplets each consisting three related stages: unmanaged, close‐to‐nature, small clear‐cut. Beta was consistently nested highlighting importance landscape support Abundance, Shannon highest compared unmanaged‐ plots. At scale, increased with openness while heterogeneity. Abundance‐ length verges. We advocate creating habitats local scales offer flowering nesting resources by providing gaps. heterogeneity created through is needed entire community

Language: Английский

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Effects of urbanization and floral diversity on the bee community (Hymenoptera, Apoidea) in an oak forest in a Protected Natural Area of Mexico

Journal of Hymenoptera Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 98, P. 47 - 68

Published: Jan. 28, 2025

Understanding the effects of urbanization on bee communities is essential for conservation and management programs these pollinators. We investigated in two distinct land-use conditions Mexico: one within Bosque el Nixticuil-San Esteban-El Diente Natural Protected Area, which represents a conserved oak forest, other highly urbanized area adjacent parks located approximately kilometer from Metropolitan Zone Guadalajara with population 5.3 million. The objectives study were to 1) record terms species richness, abundance α β diversity an forest natural protected urban area, 2) identify most susceptible bees those that benefit urbanization, 3) relate vegetation communities. results rarefaction analysis indicate exhibited significantly higher richness than area. Beta revealed low turnover, accompanied by high rate loss between conditions. A limited number demostrate increase areas, mainly Ceratina species, Augochlora smaragdina Centris nitida . Furthermore, life history traits was analysed. In all cases, decreased, non-eusocial, cavity or wood nesting, polylectic feeding prevailing related plants, so it expected find more genera conclusion, has negative impact communities, as well composition.

Language: Английский

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Warmer temperatures reinforce negative land-use impacts on bees, but not on higher insect trophic levels

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 292(2046)

Published: May 1, 2025

Climate and land-use change are major drivers of insect decline, yet their interactive effects on richness abundance, especially across trophic levels, remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate how temperature land use shape communities spatial scales from flowering plants cavity-nesting bees to hunting wasps, antagonists parasitism rates. Using trap nests a space-for-time approach, surveyed 179 plots spanning four habitat types (forest, grassland, arable settlements) 60 study regions in Germany covering semi-natural, agricultural urban landscapes. Bee abundance responded climate–land-use interactions scales, being higher with warmer local daytime temperatures overall climates, but only less intensive uses. In contrast, elevated night-time negatively affected bees. Higher levels benefited more consistently climates than lower were by high temperatures. Parasitism rates lowest similar habitats within semi-natural regions, suggesting that landscape-scale processes buffer effects. Our findings underscore the importance considering for diurnal insects suggest rising may exacerbate negative impacts pollinators.

Language: Английский

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Roads, railways, and power lines: Are they crucial for bees in urban woodlands?

Urban forestry & urban greening, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 61, P. 127120 - 127120

Published: April 1, 2021

The loss and transformation of habitats due to human impact are commonly regarded as major factors decreasing the diversity pollinators. However, there is also some evidence that industrial infrastructure can play a positive role in shaping composition many animal communities. Still, little known about how artificial linear structures, such roads, railways, electric power lines, affect abundance wild bees urban ecosystems. Thus, we attempted verify which mentioned above crucial for occurrence bee species various functional groups. We conducted field research woodlands city Bydgoszcz (northern Poland). Site conditions were evaluated on basis phytoindicators (plant indicator species). In study area, recorded 32 % all reported from Poland. respect richness abundance, along railway lines most attractive bees. Besides, richness, these sites similar roadsides. located under poorest species. About 20 only railways 3 while no was exclusively lines. Bee increased with growing cover by food plants an increasing proportion bare soil. Moreover, share plant very dry or soils alkaline soils. declined sandy presented results indicate structurally simplified floristically poor pine forests, important

Language: Английский

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Structural elements enhanced by retention forestry promote forest and non-forest specialist bees and wasps

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 529, P. 120709 - 120709

Published: Dec. 15, 2022

Retention forestry promotes certain forest structural elements to enhance biodiversity. It is unclear however what extent retention measures are suited the biodiversity of bees and wasps, how relationships promoted by may differ when habitat-based classifications accounted for. Here, we analyze abundance, diversity species richness non-forest specialist cavity-nesting wasps collected on 127 plots in southern Black Forest, Germany. Our aim was use classifications, or groupings based habitat occurrence evaluate effectiveness importance that prioritized biodiversity-focused conservation. We found canopy cover, stand complexity standing deadwood were principally important for with differing responses among classifications. Forest metrics composition related variables indicating greater feeding nesting resource availability, namely herb complexity. Non-forest primarily cover elevation while community structured only understory richness. results indicate considering specializations bee wasp communities meaningful evaluation elements. The presence arrangement these can be altered level management practices utilizing cascading effects changes, such as increasing sun exposed via opening, high stump during tree harvesting.

Language: Английский

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Indirect interactions between pollinators drive interaction rewiring through space

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 14(6)

Published: June 1, 2023

Abstract In recent years, an extended body of literature has focused on the importance either temporal or spatial dynamics in shaping structure interacting plant and pollinator communities. This improvement from a previously static aggregated perspective allowed us to understand many ecological processes that shape community assembly. However, fewer are studies have simultaneously dynamics, even those collect data across different habitat types assess generality their findings. Here, we used dataset collected weekly throughout full flowering season for two consecutive years within contrasting N SW Spain: mountain grassland area understory sparse pine forests. We evaluated species interaction persistence through space time, fidelity, turnover patterns composition while providing potential mechanistic explanation observed. Our results show although generalization does not explain persistence, moderately generalist showing greatest fidelity subset they visit time. Further, find time is mostly driven by changes composition, it rewiring resulting indirect competitive interactions between species. help shed light mechanisms driving assembly beyond niche neutral adding within‐trophic‐level can modify preferences.

Language: Английский

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A review of the opportunities to support pollinator populations in South African cities

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 10, P. e12788 - e12788

Published: March 11, 2022

Globally insects are declining, but some guilds of pollinators finding refuge in urban landscapes. The body knowledge on is relatively mature, which means it now possible to begin make generalization. Unfortunately, studies do not represent climatic regions evenly and there a gap research from the African continent. This study aimed address gaps pollination South Africa identify opportunities improve habitats for pollinators. We reviewed international literature with landscape ecology focus, drawing an emphasis agricultural ecosystem services. findings show that taxa ( e.g . large-bodied, cavity nesting bees) will exploit environments increasing abundance intensity. Moderately sensitive (such as small-bodied, ground-nesting take advantage only if local supportive their needs resource provision habitat connectivity. poor rely services subsistence agriculture reproduction wild-foraged medicines food. Potential interventions quality include strategic mowing practices, conversion turf-grass floral rich habitats, scientific confirmation lists highly attractive flowers, inclusion small-scale flower patches throughout matrix. Further needed fill both specialized generalized (Diptera, Halictids, Lepidoptera Hopliini) areas where ornamental indigenous flowering plants valued.

Language: Английский

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Brain size predicts bees' tolerance to urban environments

Biology Letters, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 19(11)

Published: Nov. 1, 2023

The rapid conversion of natural habitats to anthropogenic landscapes is threatening insect pollinators worldwide, raising concern regarding the negative consequences on their fundamental role as plant pollinators. However, not all are negatively affected by habitat conversion, certain species find appropriate resources in persist and proliferate. reason why some tolerate environments while most them inhospitable remains poorly understood. cognitive buffer hypothesis, widely supported vertebrates but untested insects, offers a potential explanation. This theory suggests that with larger brains have enhanced behavioural plasticity, enabling confront adapt novel challenges. To investigate this hypothesis we measured brain size for 89 bee species, evaluated association degree occupancy. Our analyses revealed mainly found urban had relative body than those tend occur forested or agricultural habitats. Additionally, bees exhibited sizes and, consequently, absolute sizes. results provide first empirical support invertebrates, suggesting large could confer advantages environments.

Language: Английский

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Feeding specialization and longer generation time are associated with relatively larger brains in bees

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 287(1935), P. 20200762 - 20200762

Published: Sept. 16, 2020

Despite their miniature brains, insects exhibit substantial variation in brain size. Although the functional significance of this is increasingly recognized, research on whether differences insect sizes are mainly result constraints or selective pressures has hardly been performed. Here, we address gap by combining prospective and retrospective phylogenetic-based analyses size for a major group, bees (superfamily Apoidea). Using dataset 93 species from North America Europe, found that body was single best predictor bees. However, also revealed remained even when adjusting We consequently asked such relative might be explained adaptive hypotheses. ecologically specialized with generations have larger brains—relative to size—than generalist multi-generation species, but did not find an effect sociality Phylogenetic reconstruction further supported existence different optima lineages differing feeding specialization reproductive strategy. Our findings shed new light evolution brain, highlighting importance ecological over social factors suggesting these those previously influence other taxa.

Language: Английский

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Landscape Context Influences the Bee Conservation Value of Wildflower Plantings

Environmental Entomology, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 50(4), P. 821 - 831

Published: March 26, 2021

Pollination provided by bees is a critical ecosystem service for agricultural production. However, bee populations are at risk from stressors such as habitat loss, pesticides, and disease. On-farm wildflower plantings one mitigation strategy to provide resources bees. In many instances, government programs can subsidize the installation of these private landowners. Semi-natural (SNH) in landscape also important conservation may alter effectiveness plantings. this study, we tested interactions with SNH promoting abundance richness. Bee surveys were conducted over 2 yr 22 sites eastern Virginia Maryland. Wildflower plantings, averaging 0.22 ha size, installed maintained cooperators 10 sites. total, 5,122 identified 85 species. did not communities independently, but was greater on farms 20-30% landscape. richness had nonlinear responses increasing The positive effects peaked when approximately 40% Similar predictions intermediate-landscape complexity hypothesis, increases only detected simplified landscapes. Results indicate that small Mid-Atlantic U.S. benefits under specific circumstances scale studied, conserving across be more strategy.

Language: Английский

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