Submission Type
Poster
Abstract
Bumble bee species are declining in vast geographical areas due to many factors, including reductions in suitable nest site locations and floral resources, as land uses shift toward urbanization and agricultural intensification. The potential for urban areas to support bumble bees is understudied. The purpose of this study was to see how environment type impacts bumble bee species richness, abundance, and diversity in both urban and rural environments. Data from private and public spaces was gathered through the usage of citizen science. Observations were solicited under a previously established iNaturalist citizen science project, Southwest Michigan Bee Watch, and past data from this project was analyzed alongside observations submitted in summer 2022. Alongside citizen science data, I documented bumble bee species abundance and richness at fifteen sites along an urban to rural gradient in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sites were categorized as either urban or rural through percentage of green space within a 1km radius of the site, as well as site distance from the center of Kalamazoo. Bumble bee photos within the citizen science database were properly identified to species by me and other contributors to iNaturalist. A total of 1040 individual bumble bees were documented (563 in rural areas, 477 in urban areas). Overall abundance of bumble bees, including species of concern (Bombus auricomus) and declining species (B. perplexus, B. vagans, B. fervidus, and B. citrinus) were favored in rural environments compared to urban ones. However, Shannon Diversity Indices were similar for the two environments.
Urban Or Rural? Does it matter to bumble bees An analysis in Kalamazoo, MI
Bumble bee species are declining in vast geographical areas due to many factors, including reductions in suitable nest site locations and floral resources, as land uses shift toward urbanization and agricultural intensification. The potential for urban areas to support bumble bees is understudied. The purpose of this study was to see how environment type impacts bumble bee species richness, abundance, and diversity in both urban and rural environments. Data from private and public spaces was gathered through the usage of citizen science. Observations were solicited under a previously established iNaturalist citizen science project, Southwest Michigan Bee Watch, and past data from this project was analyzed alongside observations submitted in summer 2022. Alongside citizen science data, I documented bumble bee species abundance and richness at fifteen sites along an urban to rural gradient in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Sites were categorized as either urban or rural through percentage of green space within a 1km radius of the site, as well as site distance from the center of Kalamazoo. Bumble bee photos within the citizen science database were properly identified to species by me and other contributors to iNaturalist. A total of 1040 individual bumble bees were documented (563 in rural areas, 477 in urban areas). Overall abundance of bumble bees, including species of concern (Bombus auricomus) and declining species (B. perplexus, B. vagans, B. fervidus, and B. citrinus) were favored in rural environments compared to urban ones. However, Shannon Diversity Indices were similar for the two environments.
Comments
Dr. Ann Fraser Kalamazoo College