Influence of Environmental Covariates on Pollinator Community Occupancy, Detection, and Richness Across Urban Gardens in Richmond, Virginia, USA.

ABSTRACT: Pollination is a vital ecosystem service essential for the reproduction of most flowering plants. However, pollinators, especially insects, are in dramatic worldwide decline, threatening food security and global biodiversity. Urban areas, when managed well, can act as critical corridors and reserves for pollinators, benefiting ecosystems beyond the urban environment. This study assessed plant-pollinator interactions in urban gardens across the Mid-Atlantic (USA) region, focusing on two native plants: dense blazing star (Liatris spicata ) and clustered mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum ). Over 350 visual surveys in 52 gardens recorded 361 pollinator detection events involving 14 taxa, with five taxa dominating the detections. Using multispecies occupancy models (MSOMs) in a

SUBMITTER: Ruppel NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12623005 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature