Ground-nesting bees prefer bare ground areas on calcareous grasslands

Global Ecology and Conservation, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 39, С. e02289 - e02289

Опубликована: Сен. 20, 2022

Although most of the wild bee species are ground-nesting, little is known about their nesting requirements and conservation measures to promote ground-nesting bees. Calcareous grasslands one species-rich habitats in Central Europe therefore essential for protecting diversity. The management practices calcareous so far often focused on plant populations, but order support declining insect additional have be considered nature conservation. As bees depend availability sites, we studied effects locally increased bare ground four large small Germany. Vegetation cover 24 experimental plots (1 m²) was removed. number nests as well presence these (here: activity) were compared control during six sampling runs. Results showed that fourteen times higher plots, positively related surrounding flower steeper slopes, independent grassland area. Moreover, observed activity 2.5 currently prevailing soil surface temperature. Bee abundance quantified transect walks with a generally cover. In conclusion, our study emphasizes need consider resources vast majority bees, which ground-nesting. They benefited from adjacent floral resources, removal vegetation appeared major, underestimated practice.

Язык: Английский

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Prescribed fire increases the number of ground‐nesting bee nests in tallgrass prairie remnants

Insect Conservation and Diversity, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 16(3), С. 355 - 367

Опубликована: Фев. 22, 2023

Abstract Prescribed burning is a common management technique in tallgrass prairie remnants, but there have been few empirical studies that directly examine impacts on the nesting preferences and habitat of ground‐nesting bees. We used emergence traps remnant prairies western Minnesota, USA to determine whether bees prefer nest burned or unburned prairies. estimated total number nests made by actively patches assessing each specimen for wing mandible wear, sex, sociality. also measured characteristics may influence bee including bare ground, thatch depth, vegetative cover, floral community. found more than patches, no differences effective species community composition. Burned had higher amounts percent ground thinner layer, abundance, flowering plant richness, flowers Our results suggest highlight opportunities future research better understand ecology response management.

Язык: Английский

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Time since establishment drives bee and hoverfly diversity, abundance of crop-pollinating bees and aphidophagous hoverflies in perennial wildflower strips

Basic and Applied Ecology, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 57, С. 102 - 114

Опубликована: Окт. 29, 2021

Wildflower strips (WFS) are amongst the most commonly applied measures to promote pollinators and natural enemies of crop pests in agroecosystems. Their potential enhance these functionally important insect groups may vary substantially with time since establishment WFS. However, knowledge on their temporal dynamics remains scarce, hampering recommendations for optimized design management. We therefore examined taxonomic functional bees hoverflies perennial WFS ranging from one ≥6 years sowing a standardized species-rich seed mixture flowering plants 18 agricultural landscapes Switzerland. The abundance wild bees, honeybees declined after second year by 89%, 62% 72%, respectively. Declines bee hoverfly species richness were linear those aphidophagous exponential, while peaked third year. over generally paralleled decreases flower (-83%) (-61%) an increase grass cover (+70%) Flowering plant showed strong positive relationships dominant crop-visiting hoverflies. Furthermore, but not hoverflies, positively related proportion (semi-)open semi-natural habitat surrounding landscape (500 m radius), negatively forest. conclude that effectiveness pollinator diversity, crop-pollinating through foraging resources first two three years, probably due decline diverse abundant floral resources. Although older still provide valuable nesting overwintering opportunities enemies, our findings indicate regular re-sowing be necessary maintain adequate resource provisioning effective conservation promotion pollination pest control services landscapes.

Язык: Английский

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Landscape heterogeneity and forest cover shape cavity-nesting hymenopteran communities in a multi-scale perspective

Basic and Applied Ecology, Год журнала: 2021, Номер 56, С. 239 - 249

Опубликована: Авг. 8, 2021

Язык: Английский

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Life-history traits predict responses of wild bees to climate variation

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 289(1973)

Опубликована: Апрель 20, 2022

Life-history traits, which are physical traits or behaviours that affect growth, survivorship and reproduction, could play an important role in how well organisms respond to environmental change. By looking for trait-based responses within groups, we can gain a mechanistic understanding of why change might favour penalize certain species over others. We monitored the abundance at least 154 bee 8 consecutive years subalpine region Rocky Mountains ask whether bees differently changes abiotic conditions based on their life-history traits. found comb-building cavity nesters larger bodied declined relative with increasing temperatures, while smaller, soil-nesting increased. Further, narrower diet breadths increased decreased rainfall. Finally, reduced snowpack was associated overwintered as prepupae whereas adults abundance, suggesting overwintering body size, lipid content survival. Taken together, our results show climate may reshape pollinator communities, others declining, potentially leading novel plant–pollinator interactions plant reproduction.

Язык: Английский

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