Big city Bombus: using natural history and land-use history to find significant environmental drivers in bumble-bee declines in urban development.

ABSTRACT: Native bee populations are critical sources of pollination. Unfortunately, native bees are declining in abundance and diversity. Much of this decline comes from human land-use change. While the effects of large-scale agriculture on native bees are relatively well understood, the effects of urban development are less clear. Understanding urbanity's effect on native bees requires consideration of specific characteristics of both particular bee species and their urban landscape. We surveyed bumble-bee (Bombus spp.) abundance and diversity in gardens across multiple urban centres in southeastern Michigan. There are significant declines in Bombus abundance and diversity associated with urban development when measured on scales in-line with Bombus flight ability. These decli

SUBMITTER: Glaum P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5451824 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature