How Informed Design Can Make a Difference: Supporting Insect Pollinators in Cities

Land, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 12(7), С. 1289 - 1289

Опубликована: Июнь 26, 2023

Pollinators are responsible for the reproduction of many plant and crop species provide important diversity food webs cultural value. Despite critical ecosystem services provided by pollinators, rapid pollinator declines occurring in response to anthropogenic activities that cause loss suitable habitat. There is an opportunity urban green space support pollination locally across landscape. However, there a lack practical but evidence-based guidance on how can be designed effectively floral resources other habitat needs diverse assemblage pollinators. We examine existing research this paper address following questions specific insect pollinators temperate settings: (1) Which focus efforts increase cities? (2) plants what arrangements most attractive supportive pollinators? (3) What do need beyond resources? (4) How surrounding landscape inform where prioritize new creation within Using these as framework, we informed management planning recommendations optimize value settings.

Язык: Английский

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The effect of urbanisation and seasonality on wild bee abundance, body size and foraging efforts

Ecological Entomology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 48(4), С. 499 - 507

Опубликована: Апрель 15, 2023

Abstract Anthropogenic changes highly impact the world's biodiversity. An important human‐driven change to natural environments is increasing urbanisation, which responsible for decreasing suitable habitats many wild species, including bees. In this study, we investigate if three levels of urbanisation (low, medium and high) affect body size, foraging efforts abundance sweat bee Agapostemon virescens . Overall, A. was more abundant in medium‐urbanised sites. Second‐generation females (summer bees) were than overwintered (spring at all urbanisation. According female bees larger urbanised sites male efforts, observed an increase wing wear during spring a decrease summer. It also found female‐biased sex ratio under high male‐biased low Our results suggest that can still provide sufficient nesting resources addition our findings higher sites, maintaining different heterogenous landscapes within populous city might have positive on be sustainability.

Язык: Английский

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Bee–plant interaction and community response along an urbanization gradient

Journal of Urban Ecology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 9(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 1, 2023

Abstract Elucidating bee response to urbanization is essential promoting pollinator diversity in cities especially considering such landscapes are projected expand support future global populations. To determine how community composition and plant–pollinator interactions respond urbanization, 29 sites representing three urban categories (high, medium low urbanization) were monitored biweekly from May through early October Toronto, Canada. Bees collected passively using pan blue vane traps as well actively aerial nets vacuums compare structure networks among categories. Functional traits dietary breadth, behaviour, nesting substrate native or non-native status also examined landscape influences assemblages. In total, 5477 bees, comprising 26 genera 164 species, represented this study. The was largely supportive of species within the family Apidae Halictidae ground nesting, generalist species. Overall, affected by characteristics percent tree cover impervious (i.e. paved built) surface surrounding sites; however, richness abundance significantly influenced plant not variables. A total 3267 observed throughout study region with remaining consistent along gradient a few floral host plants Solidago dominating certain contexts. These results provide important land use information for targeting conservation habitat restoration.

Язык: Английский

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Urbanization alters the spatiotemporal dynamics of plant–pollinator networks in a tropical megacity

Ecology Letters, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 26(11), С. 1951 - 1962

Опубликована: Окт. 19, 2023

Abstract Urbanization is a major driver of biodiversity change but how it interacts with spatial and temporal gradients to influence the dynamics plant–pollinator networks poorly understood, especially in tropical urbanization hotspots. Here, we analysed drivers environmental, turnover interactions (interaction β ‐diversity) along an gradient Bengaluru, South Indian megacity. The compositional differed more between seasons local intensity than distance, suggesting that seasonality environmental filtering were important dispersal limitation for explaining interaction ‐diversity. Furthermore, amplified seasonal interactions, stronger urban compared rural sites, driven by greater native non‐crop plant species (not managed people). Our study demonstrates interact shape can strongly amplify these dynamics.

Язык: Английский

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Flower richness is key to pollinator abundance: the role of garden features in cities

Basic and Applied Ecology, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 79, С. 102 - 113

Опубликована: Сен. 1, 2024

Urban areas can be both detrimental for pollinators or function as suitable habitats, depending on the land-use type, urban context and pollinator group in focus. green spaces, including gardens, parks cemeteries provide essential resources a wide range of groups, like wild bees, hoverflies beetles. community gardens particularly structurally complex harbour diverse nesting food pollinators. However, we know little about how garden features may vary with which specific increase abundance general different groups. Over two summer seasons, recorded using flower observations 33 Munich Berlin, Germany. We examined differ among from three urbanisation categories, analysed effects such floral landscape imperviousness (as indicator urbanisation) abundance, richness diversity. In more urbanised bare substrate were less prevalent. Flower was positively correlated overall diversity well abundances all taxa excluding Landscape negatively hoverfly beetle abundances. Hoverflies also decreased increasing wasp deadwood availability. Our findings highlight important role insect conservation management show that react differently to urbanisation. To support pollinating insects, gardeners richness, especially highly areas.

Язык: Английский

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Nutrition, pesticide exposure, and virus infection interact to produce context-dependent effects in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

The Science of The Total Environment, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 949, С. 175125 - 175125

Опубликована: Июль 30, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Pollinators respond positively to urban green space enhancements using wild and ornamental flowers

Insect Conservation and Diversity, Год журнала: 2024, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Сен. 10, 2024

Abstract Pollinator diversity and abundance are under direct threat from human activities. Despite societal dependence on pollinators for crop production, humankind continues to drive pollinator declines through agricultural intensification urbanisation. Urban environments can provide refuge some pollinators. There is a need, however, understand how communities be supported in these areas while also considering needs. Public green spaces promising avenue target plant–pollinator conservation measures an urban setting due their large area, high low biodiversity. We used paired design compare the plant community, community interactions of (i) public enhanced with wildflower meadows pollinator‐friendly ornamental plantings (ii) control unenhanced spaces. The planting types within sites were separately compared. Our results show that not only was overall higher than sites, but complexity wild Hymenoptera Diptera groups. negative impact urbanisation groups reduced compared sites. Planting both plants significantly increased visits alone. suggest enhancing has positive effects key help mitigate impacts Non‐native play role maintaining recreational functions. This supports mixed‐planting approach improving people nature.

Язык: Английский

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Enhancing Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum (Hymenoptera: Halictidae) habitats: The role of rock gravel in bare soil landscapes

Austral Entomology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 64(2)

Опубликована: Апрель 14, 2025

Abstract Native bee populations are generally in decline, and although their conservation needs recognised, habitat requirements for the majority of species remain unknown. Many construct nests underground, including native Australian Lasioglossum (Homalictus) dotatum . However, like most ground‐nesting bees, nesting ecology, particularly substrate preferences soil surface requirements, remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, study examined whether L. prefers bare sand or amid rock gravel treatment influences nest‐site selection. Experiments were conducted using 24‐L pots Bassendean sand, placed near active aggregations. Ten had a layer gravel, while remaining 10 left bare. Within each treatment, half contained untreated steam‐treated to remove potential contaminants. This design tested certain conditions features when selecting nest sites. Results showed that female preferentially with over those suggesting cover may create more favourable environment by moderating temperature, retaining moisture, providing structural stability entrances. Additionally, females preferred possibly indicating factors associated soil, such as microbial presence organic residues, deter nesting. advances our understanding behaviour provides framework creating pollinator‐friendly spaces identifying key influence mechanisms driving preference unknown, highlighting need further research distinguish roles hygiene, properties chemical cues

Язык: Английский

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Annual variation across functional traits: The effects of precipitation and land use on four wild bee species

Ecological Entomology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Май 2, 2025

Abstract Understanding the impacts of urbanization and climate change on organisms has become increasingly critical in ecology conservation as these anthropogenic stressors negatively impact wildlife biodiversity, especially pollinators such bees. We analysed demographic (abundance sex ratio) morphological (body size wing wear) responses to inter‐annual variation four common wild bee species across an urban gradient Toronto, Canada. observed more significant shifts demography with precipitation than urbanization, diverse patterns depending species. The drier active season saw a decrease abundance for Agapostemon virescens Ceratina calcarata , whereas Bombus impatiens Xenoglossa pruinosa increased when compared previous year. Wetter seasons resulted smaller body sizes greater wear all examined. For larger bees ( A. B. X. ), increasing significantly females only foraging effort reduced intensity increased. small, cavity‐nesting bee, C. exhibited urbanization. Moderate better supported most assemblages morphology, suggesting that moderate land use provides green spaces adequate resources

Язык: Английский

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Functional diversity of farmland bees across rural–urban landscapes in a tropical megacity

Ecological Applications, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 32(8)

Опубликована: Июнь 25, 2022

Urbanization poses a major threat to biodiversity and food security, as expanding cities, especially in the Global South, increasingly compete with natural agricultural lands. However, impact of urban expansion on tropical regions is overlooked. Here we assess how urbanization affects functional response farmland bees, most important pollinators for crop production. We sampled bees across three seasons 36 conventional vegetable-producing farms spread along an gradient Bengaluru, Indian megacity. investigated landscape local environmental drivers affected different traits (sociality, nesting behavior, body size, specialization) diversity (functional dispersion) bee communities. found that responses were trait specific more positive than negative effects gray area (sealed surfaces buildings) species richness, diversity, abundance groups. As expected, larger, solitary, cavity-nesting, and, surprisingly, specialist benefited from urbanization. In contrast temperate ground nesters increased areas, presumably because larger patches bare soil still available beside roads buildings. overall social (85% all bees) decreased urbanization, threatening pollination. Crop promotes taxonomic Locally, flower resources promote groups, vegetation can maintain diverse pollinator communities throughout year, during noncropping season. exotic plants decrease specialization. To safeguard their pollination services farms, recommend (1) preserving seminatural (hedges) around cropping fields provide opportunities aboveground nesters, (2) promoting farm-level diversification beneficial crops (e.g., pulses, vegetables, spices), (3) maintaining native field margins, (4) controlling removing invasive disrupt plant-pollinator interactions. Overall, our results suggest agriculture functionally if managed sustainable manner, be used develop win-win solutions conservation security cities.

Язык: Английский

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