The Influence of Urban Green Spaces on Declining Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) PDF Download
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Author: Jessica L. Beckham
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bumblebees
Languages : en
Pages : 151
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Book Description
Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are adept pollinators of countless cultivated and wild flowering plants, but many species have experienced declines in recent decades. Though urban sprawl has been implicated as a driving force of such losses, urban green spaces hold the potential to serve as habitat islands for bumble bees. As human populations continue to grow and metropolitan areas become larger, the survival of many bumble bee species will hinge on the identification and implementation of appropriate conservation measures at regional and finer scales. North Texas is home to some the fastest-growing urban areas in the country, including Denton County, as well as at least two declining bumble bee species (B. pensylvanicus and B. fraternus). Using a combination of field , molevular DNA and GIS methods I evaluated the persistence of historic bumble bee species in Denton County, and investigated the genetic structure and connectivity of the populations in these spaces. Field sampling resulted in the discovery of both B. pensylvanicus and B. fraternus in Denton County's urban green spaces. While the relative abundance of B. fraternus in these spaces was significantly lower than historic levels gleaned from museum recors, that of B. pensylvanicus was significantly higher. Statistical analyses found that both bare ground and tree cover surrounding sample sites were negatively associated with numbers of bumble bee individuals and hives detected in these green spaces. Additionally, limited genetic structuring of bumble bee populations was detected, leading to the conclusion that extensive gene flow is occurring across populations in Denton County.
Author: Jessica L. Beckham
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bumblebees
Languages : en
Pages : 151
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Book Description
Bumble bees (Bombus spp.) are adept pollinators of countless cultivated and wild flowering plants, but many species have experienced declines in recent decades. Though urban sprawl has been implicated as a driving force of such losses, urban green spaces hold the potential to serve as habitat islands for bumble bees. As human populations continue to grow and metropolitan areas become larger, the survival of many bumble bee species will hinge on the identification and implementation of appropriate conservation measures at regional and finer scales. North Texas is home to some the fastest-growing urban areas in the country, including Denton County, as well as at least two declining bumble bee species (B. pensylvanicus and B. fraternus). Using a combination of field , molevular DNA and GIS methods I evaluated the persistence of historic bumble bee species in Denton County, and investigated the genetic structure and connectivity of the populations in these spaces. Field sampling resulted in the discovery of both B. pensylvanicus and B. fraternus in Denton County's urban green spaces. While the relative abundance of B. fraternus in these spaces was significantly lower than historic levels gleaned from museum recors, that of B. pensylvanicus was significantly higher. Statistical analyses found that both bare ground and tree cover surrounding sample sites were negatively associated with numbers of bumble bee individuals and hives detected in these green spaces. Additionally, limited genetic structuring of bumble bee populations was detected, leading to the conclusion that extensive gene flow is occurring across populations in Denton County.
Author: Guaraci Duran Cordeiro
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2832543537
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 118
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Book Description
World Bee Day takes place on the 20th of May, commemorating the date on which we acknowledge the influence of the most popular pollinator species, bees, in plant diversity and our society. The aim of this Research Topic is to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators in urban areas, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development. It is in this spirit that Frontiers is launching a new article collection to coincide with this UN day. This occasion not only offers an opportunity to acknowledge the sustainable approach that is protecting wildlife in any form in urban areas, but also to consider the importance of bees in our ecosystem and their positive impact on human society. This Frontiers in Sustainable Cities Research Topic aims to address Urban Greening and Resource Management-specific dimensions of this UN day, highlighting the importance of having healthy green areas and all-level decision-making and considering how pollinators interact with many levels of our society. Topics may include, but are by no means limited to: - Technology and practices for urban greening and pollinator populations - Urban solutions for declining bee populations - Influence of community gardens on pollinator populations - Increases of the awareness of the importance of pollinators in local community gardens and urban greening - Policy making to protect pollinators in urban areas - Facilitating urban management of natural resources for the benefit of pollinator populations - Harnessing SDGs for urban pollinators population - Citizen science to monitor pollinators - Pollination service in urban areas - Effects of environmental contaminants, climate warning and light on pollinators - Plant pollinator networks in cities and urban areas
Author: Dave Goulson
Publisher: Oxford University Press on Demand
ISBN: 0199553068
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 330
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Book Description
This book provides a concise and readable summary of the ecology and behaviour of bumblebees, with a particular focus on practical issues such as conservation strategies, management of bumblebees for crop pollination, and the possible impacts of bumblebees as non-native invasive species.
Author: Mark J. McDonnell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521861128
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 747
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Book Description
Assesses the current status, and future challenges and opportunities, of the ecological study, design and management of cities and towns.
Author: The Xerces Society
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 1603427473
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 385
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Book Description
With the recent decline of the European honey bee, it is more important than ever to encourage the activity of other native pollinators to keep your flowers beautiful and your grains and produce plentiful. In Attracting Native Pollinators, you’ll find ideas for building nesting structures and creating a welcoming habitat for an array of diverse pollinators that includes not only bees, but butterflies, moths, and more. Take action and protect North America’s food supply for the future, while at the same time enjoying a happily bustling landscape.
Author: Peter C de Ruiter
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0080460941
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 616
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Book Description
Dynamic Food Webs challenges us to rethink what factors may determine ecological and evolutionary pathways of food web development. It touches upon the intriguing idea that trophic interactions drive patterns and dynamics at different levels of biological organization: dynamics in species composition, dynamics in population life-history parameters and abundances, and dynamics in individual growth, size and behavior. These dynamics are shown to be strongly interrelated governing food web structure and stability and the role of populations and communities play in ecosystem functioning. Dynamic Food Webs not only offers over 100 illustrations, but also contains 8 riveting sections devoted to an understanding of how to manage the effects of environmental change, the protection of biological diversity and the sustainable use of natural resources. Dynamic Food Webs is a volume in the Theoretical Ecology series. - Relates dynamics on different levels of biological organization: individuals, populations, and communities - Deals with empirical and theoretical approaches - Discusses the role of community food webs in ecosystem functioning - Proposes methods to assess the effects of environmental change on the structure of biological communities and ecosystem functioning - Offers an analyses of the relationship between complexity and stability in food webs
Author: Sarah A. Maxfield-Taylor
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Bumblebees
Languages : en
Pages : 112
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Book Description
Bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) are important native pollinators in wild and agricultural systems, and are one of the few groups of native bees commercially bred for use in the pollination of a range of crops. In recent years, declines in bumble bees have been reported globally. One factor implicated in these declines, believed to affect bumble bee colonies in the wild and during rearing, is natural enemies. A diversity of fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and parasitoids has been reported to affect bumble bees, to varying extents, in different parts of the world. In contrast to reports of decline elsewhere, bumble bees have been thriving in Oregon on the West Coast of the U.S.A. In particular, the agriculturally rich Willamette Valley in the western part of the state appears to be fostering several species. Little is known, however, about the natural enemies of bumble bees in this region. The objectives of this thesis were to: (1) identify pathogens and parasites in (a) bumble bees from the wild, and (b) bumble bees reared in captivity and (2) examine the effects of disease on bee hosts. Bumble bee queens and workers were collected from diverse locations in the Willamette Valley, in spring and summer. Bombus mixtus, Bombus nevadensis, and Bombus vosnesenskii collected from the wild were dissected and examined for pathogens and parasites, and these organisms were identified using morphological and molecular characteristics. Queens of Bombus griseocollis, Bombus nevadensis, and Bombus vosnesenskii were reared in captivity, and those that died or did not initiate nests were also examined for pathogens and parasites. In addition, the immune responses of healthy and infected bees were compared, to examine the effects of a common bumble bee gut pathogen Crithidia bombi (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) on its host. This thesis reports that wild bumble bees in western Oregon are infected with the protozoa Apicystis bombi (Neogregarinida: Ophrocystidae) and Crithidia bombi, the fungus/microsporidian Nosema bombi (Microsporidia: Nosematidae), the nematode Sphaerularia bombi (Nematoda: Tylenchida), and two dipteran parasitoids, one unknown and one belonging to the family Conopidae (Diptera: Conopidae). In addition, this research presents the first ever report of infection by the larval pathogen Ascosphaera apis (Ascomycota: Ascosphaerales), in reared bumble bee adults. New host and distribution records are also presented for C. bombi, N. bombi, and S. bombi. The study found that bumble bees infected with C. bombi had lower activated levels of immune responses than healthy bees. The thesis discusses the long-term implications of study findings, and addresses the threat that bumble bee diseases pose to bee pollinators through shared environments.
Author: Hao Zheng
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2832533930
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 195
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Book Description
Author: Elena Gratton
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
Bumble bees (Bombus spp) are critical pollinators contributing to native ecosystems as well as agricultural production. At least half of the studied bumble bee species in North America are experiencing population declines and range contractions due to interacting factors such as habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, and pathogens. Pathogens can cause disease, reduce fitness, and shorten lifespans. Moreover, infection rates are increased in bee populations that are stressed by poor nutrition or exposure to pesticides, and thus pathogen prevalence can serve as a broader bioindicator of poor conditions. Given the myriad of factors impacting bumble bees, a comprehensive approach is needed to assess which biotic and abiotic factors are most important for determining the health of bees across diverse landscapes. Through multi-state and multi-year analysis, I examine how environmental conditions affect bumble bee pathogen levels and communities at different spatial scales. First, I assess whether levels of four bumble bee pathogens and distributions of bumble bee species are driven by variation in habitat at a local scale by leveraging the replicated hill and valley system in Central Pennsylvania. I then evaluate if associations between pathogen levels, bumble bee species, and environmental conditions observed in Pennsylvania are also found in North Carolina. In Pennsylvania, I found that different communities of both pathogens and bumble bees were found between forested hills and developed valleys, with viral loads higher in valleys and loads of one pathogen, Crithidia bombi, higher in forests. Valley habitats were dominated by Bombus impatiens, a disturbance resilient bee, while the forest habitats hosted more diverse bumble bee communities. Through DNA barcoding I found that there has been significant misidentification of B. sandersoni as B. vagans or B. perplexus, all of which are found primarily in forested landscapes. The North Carolina data, consistent with data from Pennsylvania as well as other studies in the United States, demonstrate that bumble bee pathogen loads are higher in areas with more honey bees and developed land. However, across the broader datasets, there were variable effects of floral resources and bee community composition on pathogen loads. For example, areas with more floral resources were associated with decreased viral loads in honey bees in North Carolina and in bumble bees in Pennsylvania; but were associated with increased viral loads in North Carolina bumble bees. Moreover, these data show more floral resources support more diverse bumble bee communities, but more diverse communities may facilitate increased loads of some pathogens (e.g., Crithidia) for which some bumble bee species are more susceptible. Ultimately this thesis highlights several outstanding research issues and provides management recommendations. Pathogen transmission and prevalence can clearly be influenced by habitat type but the complexity of landscapes, changing bumble bee communities, and variable susceptibility of different bumble bee species means there is not a single, simple solution to reducing the effects or loads of pathogens for bumble bees. Generally, the presence of honey bees and increased disturbance lead to increased pathogen prevalence. Thus, management efforts should be targeted to improving habitat quality through increased floral and nesting resource quality, which reduces pathogen levels in both honey bees and bumble bees. Higher quality habitat can improve bumble bee community diversity, which can potentially reduce transmission rates, though this depends on the specific species involved. Future studies should focus on species showing declines, to better understand the disease dynamics. While there was partitioning of pathogens at a local scale, the overall loads of pathogens shift over larger regional scales, highlighting the value of examining effects from local to broader landscape scales.
Author: Enrique Murgui
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319433148
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 520
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Book Description
This book provides syntheses of ecological theories and overarching patterns of urban bird ecology that have only recently become available. The numerous habitats represented in this book ranges from rows of trees in wooded alleys, to wastelands and remnants of natural habitats encapsulated in the urban matrix. Authored by leading scientists in this emergent field, the chapters explore how the characteristics of the habitat in urban environments influence bird communities and populations at multiple levels of ecological organization and at different spatial and temporal scales, and how this information should be incorporated in urban planning to achieve an effective conservation of bird fauna in urban environments. Birds are among the most conspicuous and fascinating residents of urban neighborhoods and provide urban citizens with everyday wildlife contact all over the world. However, present urbanization trends are rapidly depleting their habitats, and thus knowledge of urban bird ecology is urgently needed if birds are to thrive in cities. The book is unique in its inclusion of examples from all continents (except Antarctica) in an effort to arrive at a more holistic perspective. Among other issues, the individual chapters address the censusing of birds in urban green spaces; the relationship between bird communities and the structure of urban green spaces; the role of exotic plant species as food sources for urban bird fauna; the influence of artificial light and pollutants on bird fauna; trends in long-term urban bird research, and transdisciplinary studies on bird sounds and their effects on humans. Several chapters investigate how our current knowledge of the ecology of urban bird fauna should be applied in order to achieve better management of urban habitats so as to achieve conservation of species or even increase species diversity. The book also provides a forward-looking summary on potential research directions. As such, it provides a valuable resource for urban ecologists, urban ecology students, landscape architects, city planners, decision makers and anyone with an interest in urban ornithology and bird conservation. Moreover, it provides a comprehensive overview for researchers in the fields of ecology and conservation of urban bird fauna.
