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Lu X, Jiang Z, Xu H, Zhang X, Lin Y, Pan S, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Wang Y, Li X, Duan H, Yang X, Ling Y. Rational Design of Triazinone Derivatives with Low Bee Toxicity Based on the Binding Mechanism of Neonicotinoids to Apis mellifera. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2024; 72:12956-12966. [PMID: 38820064 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Bees, one of the most vital pollinators in the ecosystem and agriculture, are currently threatened by neonicotinoids. To explore the molecular mechanisms of neonicotinoid toxicity to bees, the different binding modes of imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and flupyradifurone with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) α1β1 and cytochrome P450 9Q3 (CYP9Q3) were studied using homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. These mechanisms provided a basis for the design of compounds with a potential low bee toxicity. Consequently, we designed and synthesized a series of triazinone derivatives and assessed their bioassays. Among them, compound 5a not only displayed substantially insecticidal activities against Aphis glycines (LC50 = 4.40 mg/L) and Myzus persicae (LC50 = 6.44 mg/L) but also had low toxicity to Apis mellifera. Two-electrode voltage clamp recordings further confirmed that compound 5a interacted with the M. persicae nAChR α1 subunit but not with the A. mellifera nAChR α1 subunit. This work provides a paradigm for applying molecular toxic mechanisms to the design of compounds with low bee toxicity, thereby aiding the future rational design of eco-friendly nicotinic insecticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxing Lu
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Zhiyang Jiang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Huan Xu
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yufan Lin
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Shixiang Pan
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yimeng Zhang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yinliang Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin 116000, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuesheng Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment and Agro-Product Safety, Agricultural College, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi 530004, China
| | - Hongxia Duan
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Xinling Yang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yun Ling
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Science, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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2
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Moldoveanu OC, Maggioni M, Dani FR. Environmental ameliorations and politics in support of pollinators. Experiences from Europe: A review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 362:121219. [PMID: 38838532 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
At least 87% of angiosperm species require animal vectors for their reproduction, while more than two-thirds of major global food crops depend on zoogamous pollination. Pollinator insects are a wide variety of organisms that require diverse biotic and abiotic resources. Many factors have contributed to a serious decrease in the abundance of populations and diversity of pollinator species over the years. This decline is alarming, and the European Union has taken several actions aimed at counteracting it by issuing new conservation policies and standardizing the actions of member countries. In 2019, the European Green Deal was presented, aiming to restore 100% of Europe's degraded land by 2050 through financial and legislative instruments. Moreover, the Common Agricultural Policies have entailed greening measures for the conservation of habitats and beneficial species for more than 10 years. The new CAP (CAP 23-27) reinforces conservation objectives through strategic plans based on eco-schemes defined at the national level by the member countries, and some states have specifically defined eco-schemes for pollinator conservation. Here, we review the framework of EU policies, directives, and regulations, which include measures aimed at protecting pollinators in agricultural, urban, and peri-urban environments. Moreover, we reviewed the literature reporting experimental works on the environmental amelioration for pollinators, particularly those where CAP measures were implemented and evaluated, as well as studies conducted in urban areas. Among CAP measures, several experimental works have considered the sowing and management of entomophilous plants and reported results important for environmental ameliorations. Some urban, peri-urban and wasteland areas have been reported to host a considerable number of pollinators, especially wild bees, and despite the lack of specific directives, their potential to contribute to pollinator conservation could be enhanced through targeted actions, as highlighted by some studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martino Maggioni
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo, Italy
| | - Francesca Romana Dani
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Centre, Palermo, Italy.
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3
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Nguyen PN, Samad-Zada F, Chau KD, Rehan SM. Microbiome and floral associations of a wild bee using biodiversity survey collections. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16657. [PMID: 38817079 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The health of bees can be assessed through their microbiome, which serves as a biomarker indicating the presence of both beneficial and harmful microorganisms within a bee community. This study presents the characterisation of the bacterial, fungal, and plant composition on the cuticle of adult bicoloured sweat bees (Agapostemon virescens). These bees were collected using various methods such as pan traps, blue vane traps and sweep netting across the northern extent of their habitat range. Non-destructive methods were employed to extract DNA from the whole pinned specimens of these wild bees. Metabarcoding of the 16S rRNA, ITS and rbcL regions was then performed. The study found that the method of collection influenced the detection of certain microbial and plant taxa. Among the collection methods, sweep net samples showed the lowest fungal alpha diversity. However, minor differences in bacterial or fungal beta diversity suggest that no single method is significantly superior to others. Therefore, a combination of techniques can cater to a broader spectrum of microbial detection. The study also revealed regional variations in bacterial, fungal and plant diversity. The core microbiome of A. virescens comprises two bacteria, three fungi and a plant association, all of which are commonly detected in other wild bees. These core microbes remained consistent across different collection methods and locations. Further extensive studies of wild bee microbiomes across various species and landscapes will help uncover crucial relationships between pollinator health and their environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong N Nguyen
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Katherine D Chau
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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4
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Lenard A, Diamond SE. Evidence of plasticity, but not evolutionary divergence, in the thermal limits of a highly successful urban butterfly. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 155:104648. [PMID: 38754698 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2024.104648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Despite the generally negative impact of urbanization on insect biodiversity, some insect species persist in urban habitats. Understanding the mechanisms underpinning the ability of insects to tolerate urban habitats is critical given the contribution of land-use change to the global insect decline. Compensatory mechanisms such as phenotypic plasticity and evolutionary change in thermal physiological traits could allow urban populations to persist under the altered thermal regimes of urban habitats. It is important to understand the contributions of plasticity and evolution to trait change along urbanization gradients as the two mechanisms operate under different constraints and timescales. Here, we examine the plastic and evolutionary responses of heat and cold tolerance (critical thermal maximum [CTmax] and critical thermal minimum [CTmin]) to warming among populations of the cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, from urban and non-urban (rural) habitats using a two-temperature common garden experiment. Although we expected populations experiencing urban warming to exhibit greater CTmax and diminished CTmin through plastic and evolutionary mechanisms, our study revealed evidence only for plasticity in the expected direction of both thermal tolerance traits. We found no evidence of evolutionary divergence in either heat or cold tolerance, despite each trait showing evolutionary potential. Our results suggest that thermal tolerance plasticity contributes to urban persistence in this system. However, as the magnitude of the plastic response was low and comparable to other insect species, other compensatory mechanisms likely further underpin this species' success in urban habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie Lenard
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2074 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, 2074 Adelbert Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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5
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Souther SK, Sandor ME, Sample M, Gabrielson S, Aslan CE. Bee and butterfly records indicate diversity losses in western and southern North America, but extensive knowledge gaps remain. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0289742. [PMID: 38748698 PMCID: PMC11095745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Pollinator losses threaten ecosystems and food security, diminishing gene flow and reproductive output for ecological communities and impacting ecosystem services broadly. For four focal families of bees and butterflies, we constructed over 1400 ensemble species distribution models over two time periods for North America. Models indicated disproportionally increased richness in eastern North America over time, with decreases in richness over time in the western US and southern Mexico. To further pinpoint geographic areas of vulnerability, we mapped records of potential pollinator species of conservation concern and found high concentrations of detections in the Great Lakes region, US East Coast, and southern Canada. Finally, we estimated asymptotic diversity indices for genera known to include species that visit flowers and may carry pollen for ecoregions across two time periods. Patterns of generic diversity through time mirrored those of species-level analyses, again indicating a decline in pollinators in the western U.S. Increases in generic diversity were observed in cooler and wetter ecoregions. Overall, changes in pollinator diversity appear to reflect changes in climate, though other factors such as land use change may also explain regional shifts. While statistical methods were employed to account for unequal sampling effort across regions and time, improved monitoring efforts with rigorous sampling designs would provide a deeper understanding of pollinator communities and their responses to ongoing environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K. Souther
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
| | - Manette E. Sandor
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Center for Conservation and Biodiversity, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Martha Sample
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
| | - Sara Gabrielson
- Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
| | - Clare E. Aslan
- Center for Adaptable Western Landscapes, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America
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6
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Rannaud-Bartaire P, Demeneix BA, Fini JB. Pressures of the urban environment on the endocrine system: Adverse effects and adaptation. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2024; 583:112125. [PMID: 38147952 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.112125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
With an increasing collective awareness of the rapid environmental changes, questions and theories regarding the adaptability of organisms are emerging. Global warming as well as chemical and non-chemical pollution have been identified as triggers of these adaptative changes, but can we link different kinds of stressors to certain phenotypic traits? The physiological adaptation, and particularly endocrine system adaptation, of living beings to urban environments is a fascinating way of studying urban endocrinology, which has emerged as a research field in 2007. In this paper, we stress how endocrine disruption in humans and environment can be studied in the urban environment by measuring the levels of pollution, endocrine activities or adversity. We broaden the focus to include not only exposure to the chemicals that have invaded our private spheres and their effects on wild and domestic species but also non-chemical effectors such as light, noise and climate change. We argue that taking into account the various urban stress factors and their effects on the endocrine system would enable the adoption of new approaches to protect living organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Rannaud-Bartaire
- PhyMa Unit, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, F-75005, Paris, France; Université Catholique de Lille, l'hôpital Saint-Vincent-De-Paul, Boulevard de Belfort, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Barbara A Demeneix
- PhyMa Unit, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, F-75005, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fini
- PhyMa Unit, CNRS UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, F-75005, Paris, France.
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Mollashahi H, Szymura TH, Szymura M. How to successfully improve the biodiversity of city grasslands? Heliyon 2024; 10:e27810. [PMID: 38515666 PMCID: PMC10955310 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Urban grasslands (UG) are among the most common types of urban green areas. They are usually species poor, and spontaneous plant migration, which can increase biodiversity, is limited. To improve the range of ecosystem services provided by UG, various seed mixtures are applied during the establishment and restoration of UG. These mixtures vary in content, quality, and cost. High-quality seed mixtures are expensive and are usually only available in small amounts. Meanwhile, alternative methods of seed introduction (e.g., fresh hay application, seeds harvested by brush) have not been well studied in UG restoration, and inexpensive commercial mixtures could have low quality and lead to poor restoration outcomes. Here, we tested the effectiveness of different seed sources to create high-quality UG at two study sites. Based on the results, all seed addition methods increased the species richness of restored grasslands. The outcome of seed addition was satisfactory regardless of differences in residual vegetation species composition and soil properties between the sites. The species richness on plots that received a commercial mixture of flower meadow plants dedicated to pollinators decreased after overwintering. The alternative seed sources (fresh hay and seed incidentally collected during mowing) yielded grassland quality that was comparable to that on plots that received high-quality mixtures with known seed origin (a seminatural meadow mixture and a mixture with the addition of grasses).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hassanali Mollashahi
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Agroecology and Plant Production, Wrocław, Poland
| | | | - Magdalena Szymura
- Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Agroecology and Plant Production, Wrocław, Poland
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Lewthwaite JMM, Baiotto TM, Brown BV, Cheung YY, Baker AJ, Lehnen C, McGlynn TP, Shirey V, Gonzalez L, Hartop E, Kerr PH, Wood E, Guzman LM. Drivers of arthropod biodiversity in an urban ecosystem. Sci Rep 2024; 14:390. [PMID: 38172148 PMCID: PMC10764344 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50675-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Our world is becoming increasingly urbanized with a growing human population concentrated around cities. The expansion of urban areas has important consequences for biodiversity, yet the abiotic drivers of biodiversity in urban ecosystems have not been well characterized for the most diverse group of animals on the planet, arthropods. Given their great diversity, comparatively small home ranges, and ability to disperse, arthropods make an excellent model for studying which factors can most accurately predict urban biodiversity. We assessed the effects of (i) topography (distance to natural areas and to ocean) (ii) abiotic factors (mean annual temperature and diurnal range), and (iii) anthropogenic drivers (land value and amount of impervious surface) on the occurrence of six arthropod groups represented in Malaise trap collections run by the BioSCAN project across the Greater Los Angeles Area. We found striking heterogeneity in responses to all factors both within and between taxonomic groups. Diurnal temperature range had a consistently negative effect on occupancy but this effect was only significant in Phoridae. Anthropogenic drivers had mixed though mostly insignificant effects, as some groups and species were most diverse in highly urbanized areas, while other groups showed suppressed diversity. Only Phoridae was significantly affected by land value, where most species were more likely to occur in areas with lower land value. Los Angeles can support high regional arthropod diversity, but spatial community composition is highly dependent on the taxonomic group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayme M M Lewthwaite
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
| | - Teagan M Baiotto
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
| | - Brian V Brown
- Department of Entomology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, 90007, USA
| | - Yan Yin Cheung
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
| | - Austin J Baker
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
- Department of Entomology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, 90007, USA
| | - Charles Lehnen
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
- Human Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
| | - Terrence P McGlynn
- Department of Entomology, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, 90007, USA
- Department of Biology, California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, 90747, USA
| | - Vaughn Shirey
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
| | - Lisa Gonzalez
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, 90007, USA
| | - Emily Hartop
- Center for Integrative Biodiversity Discovery, Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter H Kerr
- California State Collection of Arthropods, CDFA Plant Pest Diagnostics Center, Sacramento, CA, 95832, USA
| | - Eric Wood
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University Los Angeles, 5151 State University Drive, Los Angeles, 90032, USA
| | - Laura Melissa Guzman
- Marine and Environmental Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089, USA.
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Alberti M. Cities of the Anthropocene: urban sustainability in an eco-evolutionary perspective. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220264. [PMID: 37952615 PMCID: PMC10645089 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Cities across the globe are driving systemic change in social and ecological systems by accelerating the rates of interactions and intensifying the links between human activities and Earth's ecosystems, thereby expanding the scale and influence of human activities on fundamental processes that sustain life. Increasing evidence shows that cities not only alter biodiversity, they change the genetic makeup of many populations, including animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms. Urban-driven rapid evolution in species traits might have significant effects on socially relevant ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, pollination, water and air purification and food production. Despite increasing evidence that cities are causing rapid evolutionary change, current urban sustainability strategies often overlook these dynamics. The dominant perspectives that guide these strategies are essentially static, focusing on preserving biodiversity in its present state or restoring it to pre-urban conditions. This paper provides a systemic overview of the socio-eco-evolutionary transition associated with global urbanization. Using examples of observed changes in species traits that play a significant role in maintaining ecosystem function and resilience, I propose that these evolutionary changes significantly impact urban sustainability. Incorporating an eco-evolutionary perspective into urban sustainability science and planning is crucial for effectively reimagining the cities of the Anthropocene. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution and sustainability: gathering the strands for an Anthropocene synthesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Alberti
- Department of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
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10
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Tommasi N, Biella P, Maggioni D, Fallati L, Agostinetto G, Labra M, Galli P, Galimberti A. DNA metabarcoding unveils the effects of habitat fragmentation on pollinator diversity, plant-pollinator interactions, and pollination efficiency in Maldive islands. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6394-6404. [PMID: 35651283 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Habitat fragmentation affects biodiversity, but with unclear effects on pollinators and their interactions with plants in anthropized landscapes. Islands could serve as open air laboratories, suitable to disentangle how land-use alteration impacts pollination ecology. In Maldive islands we investigated how pollinator richness, plant-pollinator interactions and pollination efficiency are influenced by the green area fragmentation (i.e., gardens and semi-natural patches). Moreover, we considered the mediating role of pollinator body size and the plant trait of being invasive in shaping interactions. To do this, we surveyed pollinator insects from 11 islands representing a gradient of green area fragmentation. A DNA metabarcoding approach was adopted to identify the pollen transported by pollinators and characterize the plant-pollinator interactions. We found that intermediate levels of green area fragmentation characterized pollinator communities and increased their species richness, while decreasing interaction network complexity. Invasive plants were more frequently found on pollinator bodies than native or exotic noninvasive ones, indicating a concerningly higher potential for pollen dispersal and reproduction of the former ones. Intriguingly, pollinator body size mediated the effect of landscape alteration on interactions, as only the largest bees expanded the foraging diet in terms of plant richness in the transported pollen at increasing fragmentation. In parallel, the pollination efficiency increased with pollinator species richness in two sentinel plants. This study shows that moderate landscape fragmentation of green areas shapes many aspects of the pollination ecosystem service, where despite interactions being less complex and mediated by pollinator body size, pollinator insect biodiversity and potential plant reproduction are supported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Tommasi
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- INFN Sezione Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Biella
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Maggioni
- Earth and Environmental Science Department, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo, Maldives
| | - Luca Fallati
- Earth and Environmental Science Department, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo, Maldives
| | - Giulia Agostinetto
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Labra
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- INFN Sezione Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Galli
- Earth and Environmental Science Department, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo, Maldives
| | - Andrea Galimberti
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- INFN Sezione Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Ramos Aguila LC, Li X, Akutse KS, Bamisile BS, Sánchez Moreano JP, Lie Z, Liu J. Host-Parasitoid Phenology, Distribution, and Biological Control under Climate Change. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2290. [PMID: 38137891 PMCID: PMC10744521 DOI: 10.3390/life13122290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change raises a serious threat to global entomofauna-the foundation of many ecosystems-by threatening species preservation and the ecosystem services they provide. Already, changes in climate-warming-are causing (i) sharp phenological mismatches among host-parasitoid systems by reducing the window of host susceptibility, leading to early emergence of either the host or its associated parasitoid and affecting mismatched species' fitness and abundance; (ii) shifting arthropods' expansion range towards higher altitudes, and therefore migratory pest infestations are more likely; and (iii) reducing biological control effectiveness by natural enemies, leading to potential pest outbreaks. Here, we provided an overview of the warming consequences on biodiversity and functionality of agroecosystems, highlighting the vital role that phenology plays in ecology. Also, we discussed how phenological mismatches would affect biological control efficacy, since an accurate description of stage differentiation (metamorphosis) of a pest and its associated natural enemy is crucial in order to know the exact time of the host susceptibility/suitability or stage when the parasitoids are able to optimize their parasitization or performance. Campaigns regarding landscape structure/heterogeneity, reduction of pesticides, and modelling approaches are urgently needed in order to safeguard populations of natural enemies in a future warmer world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Carlos Ramos Aguila
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; (X.L.); (Z.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Xu Li
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; (X.L.); (Z.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Komivi Senyo Akutse
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi P.O. Box 30772-00100, Kenya;
- Unit of Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
| | | | - Jessica Paola Sánchez Moreano
- Grupo Traslacional en Plantas, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Parroquia Muyuna km 7 vía Alto Tena, Tena 150150, Napo, Ecuador;
| | - Zhiyang Lie
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; (X.L.); (Z.L.); (J.L.)
| | - Juxiu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; (X.L.); (Z.L.); (J.L.)
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12
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Eakins J, Lynch M, Carolan JC, Rowan NJ. Studies on the novel effects of electron beam treated pollen on colony reproductive output in commercially-reared bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) for mass pollination applications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 899:165614. [PMID: 37478954 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Commercially-reared bumblebees provide an important pollinator service that helps support food production and security. The deployment of an appropriate non-thermal disinfection technology for the bulk treatment of pollen collected from honeybees for the feeding of commercial bumblebees is important in order to mitigate against complex diseases and unwanted pathogen spillover to native bees. High level disinfection of pollen was achieved using an electron (e)-beam dose of 100 kGy that corresponded to 78 % loss of cellular viability of bee pathogens before feeding to bumblebees as measured by the novel in vitro use of flow cytometry (FCM). Novel findings showed that e-beam treated-pollen that was fed to bumblebees produced fewer females, gynes and exhibited an absence of males when compared to control bumblebee colonies that were fed untreated commercial pollen. A similar trend emerged in bumblebee colony reproductive outputs when using membrane filtered washed pollen. Proteomic analysis of bumblebees from individual colonies fed with treated-pollen revealed a differential abundance of proteins associated with stress, immunity and metabolism when compared to the untreated pollen control group. Microbiome analysis of the bumblebee gut content revealed differences in microbiota between treated and untreated pollen in bumblebee colony studies. This novel study evaluated the impact of industrial e-beam treated-pollen on complex bee disease mitigation where physically treated-pollen fed to bumblebees was shown to substantially affect colony reproductive outputs.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Eakins
- Centre for Disinfection and Sterilization, Faculty of Science and Health, Technological Institute of the Shannon, Midlands Campus, Ireland; Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - M Lynch
- Centre for Disinfection and Sterilization, Faculty of Science and Health, Technological Institute of the Shannon, Midlands Campus, Ireland
| | - J C Carolan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - N J Rowan
- Centre for Disinfection and Sterilization, Faculty of Science and Health, Technological Institute of the Shannon, Midlands Campus, Ireland.
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13
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Blareau E, Sy P, Daoud K, Requier F. Insect-Mediated Pollination of Strawberries in an Urban Environment. INSECTS 2023; 14:877. [PMID: 37999076 PMCID: PMC10671972 DOI: 10.3390/insects14110877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Pollination services provided by a diversity of pollinators are critical in agriculture because they enhance the yield of many crops. However, few studies have assessed pollination services in urban agricultural systems. We performed flower-visitor observations and pollination experiments on strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) in an urban area near Paris, France, in order to assess the effects of (i) insect-mediated pollination service and (ii) potential pollination deficit on fruit set, seed set, and fruit quality (size, weight, and malformation). Flower-visitor observations revealed that the pollinator community solely comprised unmanaged pollinators, despite the presence of beehives in the surrounding landscape. Based on the pollination experiments, we found that the pollination service mediated by wild insects improved the fruit size as a qualitative value of production, but not the fruit set. We also found no evidence of pollination deficit in our urban environment. These results suggest that the local community of wild urban pollinators is able to support strawberry crop production and thus plays an important role in providing high-quality, local, and sustainable crops in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elsa Blareau
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Institut d’Ecologie et des Sciences de l’Environnement de Paris, Sorbonne Université, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Pauline Sy
- LAB3S Sols Savoirs Saveurs, 32 Avenue Henri Varagnat, 93140 Bondy, France
| | - Karim Daoud
- Laboratoire Régional du Suivi de la Faune Sauvage, 32 Avenue Henri Varagnat, 93140 Bondy, France
| | - Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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14
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Nguyen PN, Rehan SM. Wild bee and pollen microbiomes across an urban-rural divide. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2023; 99:fiad158. [PMID: 38037395 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiad158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Wild pollinators and their microbiota are sensitive to land use changes from anthropogenic activities that disrupt landscape and environmental features. As urbanization and agriculture affect bee habitats, human-led disturbances are driving changes in bee microbiomes, potentially leading to dysbiosis detrimental to bee fitness. This study examines the bacterial, fungal, and plant compositions of the small carpenter bee, Ceratina calcarata, and its pollen provisions across an urban-rural divide. We performed metabarcoding of C. calcarata and provisions in Toronto by targeting the 16S rRNA, ITS, and rbcL regions. Despite similar plant composition and diversity across bees and their provisions, there was a greater microbial diversity in pollen provisions than in bees. By characterizing the differences in land use, climate, and pesticide residues that differentiate urban and rural landscapes, we find that urban areas support elevated levels of microbial diversity and more complex networks between microbes and plants than rural areas. However, urban areas may lead to lower relative abundances of known beneficial symbionts and increased levels of pathogens, such as Ascosphaera and Alternaria fungi. Further, rural pollen provisions indicate elevated pesticide residues that may dysregulate symbiosis. As anthropogenic activities continue to alter land use, ever changing environments threaten microbiota crucial in maintaining bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phuong N Nguyen
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
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15
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Chessa C, Susca T. Development of an LCA characterization factor to account UHI local effect on terrestrial ecosystems damage category: Evaluation of European Bombus and Onthophagus genera heat-stress mortality. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 897:165183. [PMID: 37385499 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Life Cycle Assessment as currently implemented fails in detecting and measuring the interactions between urban climate and built environment, specifically the urban heat island, providing potentially misleading results. The present study offers an advancement in Life Cycle Assessment methodology, and specifically in ReCiPe2016 method, by (a) suggesting the implementation of the Local Warming Potential midpoint impact category where the variation of urban temperature converges; (b) developing a new characterization factor through the definition of damage pathways to assess the effect of urban heat island on terrestrial ecosystems damage category, specifically on European Bombus and Onthophagus genera; (c) defining local endpoint damage categories where environmental local impacts can be addressed. The developed characterization factor has been applied to the case study of an urban area in Rome, Italy. The results show that the evaluation of the effects of urban overheating on local terrestrial ecosystems is meaningful and may support urban decision-makers who want to holistically assess urban plans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tiziana Susca
- ENEA Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Department Unit for Energy Efficiency, Italy.
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16
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Lanuza JB, Collado MÁ, Sayol F, Sol D, Bartomeus I. Brain size predicts bees' tolerance to urban environments. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230296. [PMID: 38016644 PMCID: PMC10684341 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The rapid conversion of natural habitats to anthropogenic landscapes is threatening insect pollinators worldwide, raising concern regarding the negative consequences on their fundamental role as plant pollinators. However, not all pollinators are negatively affected by habitat conversion, as certain species find appropriate resources in anthropogenic landscapes to persist and proliferate. The reason why some species tolerate anthropogenic environments while most find them inhospitable remains poorly understood. The cognitive buffer hypothesis, widely supported in vertebrates but untested in insects, offers a potential explanation. This theory suggests that species with larger brains have enhanced behavioural plasticity, enabling them to confront and adapt to novel challenges. To investigate this hypothesis in insects, we measured brain size for 89 bee species, and evaluated their association with the degree of habitat occupancy. Our analyses revealed that bee species mainly found in urban habitats had larger brains relative to their body size than those that tend to occur in forested or agricultural habitats. Additionally, urban bees exhibited larger body sizes and, consequently, larger absolute brain sizes. Our results provide the first empirical support for the cognitive buffer hypothesis in invertebrates, suggesting that a large brain in bees could confer behavioural advantages to tolerate urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose B. Lanuza
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Spatial Interaction Ecology, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Miguel Á. Collado
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), 41092 Seville, Spain
- Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación e Inteligencia Artificial, Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain
| | - Ferran Sayol
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Daniel Sol
- Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- Department of Ecology, CSIC, Spanish National Research Council, CREAF-UAB, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
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17
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Nguyen PN, Rehan SM. Environmental Effects on Bee Microbiota. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2023; 86:1487-1498. [PMID: 37099156 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-023-02226-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities and increased land use, which include industrialization, agriculture and urbanization, directly affect pollinators by changing habitats and floral availability, and indirectly by influencing their microbial composition and diversity. Bees form vital symbioses with their microbiota, relying on microorganisms to perform physiological functions and aid in immunity. As altered environments and climate threaten bees and their microbiota, characterizing the microbiome and its complex relationships with its host offers insights into understanding bee health. This review summarizes the role of sociality in microbiota establishment, as well as examines if such factors result in increased susceptibility to altered microbiota due to environmental changes. We characterize the role of geographic distribution, temperature, precipitation, floral resources, agriculture, and urbanization on bee microbiota. Bee microbiota are affected by altered surroundings regardless of sociality. Solitary bees that predominantly acquire their microbiota through the environment are particularly sensitive to such effects. However, the microbiota of obligately eusocial bees are also impacted by environmental changes despite typically well conserved and socially inherited microbiota. We provide an overview of the role of microbiota in plant-pollinator relationships and how bee microbiota play a larger role in urban ecology, offering microbial connections between animals, humans, and the environment. Understanding bee microbiota presents opportunities for sustainable land use restoration and aiding in wildlife conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Canada.
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18
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Liang H, He YD, Theodorou P, Yang CF. The effects of urbanization on pollinators and pollination: A meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1629-1642. [PMID: 37345567 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization is increasing worldwide, with major impacts on biodiversity, species interactions and ecosystem functioning. Pollination is an ecosystem function vital for terrestrial ecosystems and food security; however, the processes underlying the patterns of pollinator diversity and the ecosystem services they provide in cities have seldom been quantified. Here, we perform a comprehensive meta-analysis of 133 studies examining the effects of urbanization on pollinators and pollination. Our results confirm the widespread negative impacts of urbanization on pollinator richness and abundance, with Lepidoptera being the most affected group. Furthermore, pollinator responses were found to be trait-specific, with below-ground nesting and solitary Hymenoptera, and spring flyers more severely affected by urbanization. Meanwhile, cities promote non-native pollinators, which may exacerbate conservation risks to native species. Surprisingly, despite the negative effects of urbanization on pollinator diversity, pollination service measured as seed set is enhanced in non-tropical cities likely due to abundant generalists and managed pollinators therein. We emphasize that the richness of local flowering plants could mitigate the negative impacts of urbanization on pollinator diversity. Overall, the results demonstrate the varying magnitudes of multiple moderators on urban pollinators and pollination services and could help guide conservation actions for biodiversity and ecosystem function for a sustainable future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Liang
- Core Botanical Gardens/Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yong-Deng He
- Core Botanical Gardens/Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Panagiotis Theodorou
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chun-Feng Yang
- Core Botanical Gardens/Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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19
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Zhang S, Zhao J, Yao M. Urban landscape-level biodiversity assessments of aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates by environmental DNA metabarcoding. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 340:117971. [PMID: 37119629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Globally, expansive urbanization profoundly alters natural habitats and the associated biota. Monitoring biodiversity in cities can provide essential information for conservation management, but the complexity of urban landscapes poses serious challenges to conventional observational and capture-based surveys. Here we assessed pan-vertebrate biodiversity, including both aquatic and terrestrial taxa, using environmental DNA (eDNA) sampled from 109 water sites across Beijing, China. Using eDNA metabarcoding with a single primer set (Tele02), we detected 126 vertebrate species, including 73 fish, 39 birds, 11 mammals, and 3 reptiles belonging to 91 genera, 46 families, and 22 orders. The probability of detection from eDNA varied substantially among species and was related to their lifestyle, as shown by the greater detectability of fish compared to that of terrestrial and arboreal (birds and mammals) groups, as well as the greater detectability of water birds compared to that of forest birds (Wilcoxon rank-sum test p = 0.007). Furthermore, the eDNA detection probabilities across all vertebrates (Wilcoxon rank-sum test p = 0.009), as well as for birds (p < 0.001), were higher at lentic sites in comparison with lotic sites. Also, the detected biodiversity was positively correlated with lentic waterbody size for fish (Spearman p = 0.012), but not for other groups. Our results demonstrate the capacity of eDNA metabarcoding to efficiently surveil diverse vertebrate communities across an extensive spatial scale in heterogenous urban landscapes. With further methodological development and optimization, the eDNA approach has great potential for non-invasive, efficient, economic, and timely assessments of biodiversity responses to urbanization, thus guiding city ecosystem conservation management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jindong Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Meng Yao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China; Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
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20
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Ellis EE, Edmondson JL, Maher KH, Hipperson H, Campbell SA. Negative effects of urbanisation on diurnal and nocturnal pollen-transport networks. Ecol Lett 2023; 26:1382-1393. [PMID: 37272470 PMCID: PMC10946945 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Pollinating insects are declining due to habitat loss and climate change, and cities with limited habitat and floral resources may be particularly vulnerable. The effects of urban landscapes on pollination networks remain poorly understood, and comparative studies of taxa with divergent niches are lacking. Here, for the first time, we simultaneously compare nocturnal moth and diurnal bee pollen-transport networks using DNA metabarcoding and ask how pollination networks are affected by increasing urbanisation. Bees and moths exhibited substantial divergence in the communities of plants they interact with. Increasing urbanisation had comparable negative effects on pollen-transport networks of both taxa, with significant declines in pollen species richness. We show that moths are an important, but overlooked, component of urban pollen-transport networks for wild flowering plants, horticultural crops, and trees. Our findings highlight the need to include both bee and non-bee taxa when assessing the status of critical plant-insect interactions in urbanised landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie E. Ellis
- School of BiosciencesThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- NERC Environmental Omics Facility, School of BiosciencesThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | | | - Kathryn H. Maher
- NERC Environmental Omics Facility, School of BiosciencesThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Helen Hipperson
- NERC Environmental Omics Facility, School of BiosciencesThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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21
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Browning A, Smitley D, Studyvin J, Runkle ES, Huang ZY, Hotchkiss E. Variation in pollinator visitation among garden cultivars of marigold, portulaca, and bidens. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 116:872-881. [PMID: 37116900 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Due to declines in pollinator populations, many people are now interested in learning about which annual flowers they can plant in their garden to better support pollinators. However, reports of experimental evaluation of cultivars of annual flowers for attraction to pollinators are scarce. We sampled pollinators visiting six cultivars of marigold (Tagetes erecta and T. patula), ten cultivars of bidens (Bidens ferulifolia and B. aurea), and eight cultivars of portulaca (Portulaca oleracea and P. grandiflora) for two years to compare pollinator visitation rates among cultivars within each flower type. Pollinators collected on flowers in research plots were categorized into four groups, honey bees (Apis mellifera), common eastern bumble bees (Bombus impatiens), wild bees, and syrphids, to show the proportion of different pollinator visitors to each cultivar. Pollinator visitation rates varied significantly among cultivars of marigold, bidens, and portulaca, with some cultivars having as much as 10-fold the visitation rate of other cultivars of the same flower type. In the second year we also evaluated nectar production and nectar quality of the most and least visited cultivars of portulaca and bidens. Our results show that pollinators have a strong preference for cultivars that produce the most nectar or nectar with the highest sugar content. This research will better inform entomologists, growers, educators, and plant breeders, about which cultivars of marigold, portulaca, and bidens are visited the most by pollinators, and how to accurately determine this at the cultivar level.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Browning
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| | - D Smitley
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| | - J Studyvin
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071-303, USA
| | - E S Runkle
- Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, 1066 Bogue St, Room A288, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Z Y Huang
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
| | - E Hotchkiss
- Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, 244 Farm Lane, Room 243, East Lansing, MI 48825-1115, USA
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22
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Polce C, Cardoso AC, Deriu I, Gervasini E, Tsiamis K, Vigiak O, Zulian G, Maes J. Invasive alien species of policy concerns show widespread patterns of invasion and potential pressure across European ecosystems. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8124. [PMID: 37208377 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32993-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Animals, plants, and other organisms unintentionally or deliberately brought into a natural environment where they are not normally found, and where they cause harmful effects on that environment, are known also as invasive alien species (IAS). They represent a major threat to native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and can affect negatively human health and the economy. We assessed the presence and potential pressure by IAS on terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems across 27 European countries, for 66 IAS of policy concern. We computed a spatial indicator that accounts for the number of IAS present in an area and the extent of the ecosystems affected; for each ecosystem, we also looked at the pattern of invasions in the different biogeographical regions. We found disproportionally greater invasion in the Atlantic region, followed by Continental and Mediterranean regions, possibly related to historical patterns of first introductions. Urban and freshwater ecosystems were the most invaded (nearly 68% and ca. 52% of their extent respectively), followed by forest and woodland (nearly 44%). The average potential pressure of IAS was greater across cropland and forests, where we also found the lowest coefficient of variation. This assessment can be repeated over time to derive trends and monitor progress towards environmental policy objectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Polce
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy.
| | | | - Ivan Deriu
- ARHS Developments S.A., Luxembourg, Luxembourg
| | | | | | - Olga Vigiak
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, Italy
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23
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Diamond SE, Bellino G, Deme GG. Urban insect bioarks of the 21st century. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 57:101028. [PMID: 37024047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Insects exhibit divergent biodiversity responses to cities. Many urban populations are not at equilibrium: biodiversity decline or recovery from environmental perturbation is often still in progress. Substantial variation in urban biodiversity patterns suggests the need to understand its mechanistic basis. In addition, current urban infrastructure decisions might profoundly influence future biodiversity trends. Although many nature-based solutions to urban climate problems also support urban insect biodiversity, trade-offs are possible and should be avoided to maximize biodiversity-climate cobenefits. Because insects are coping with the dual threats of urbanization and climate change, there is an urgent need to design cities that facilitate persistence within the city footprint or facilitate compensatory responses to global climate change as species transit through the city footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Diamond
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
| | - Grace Bellino
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Gideon G Deme
- Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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24
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Varga-Szilay Z, Pozsgai G. Plant growers' environmental consciousness may not be enough to mitigate pollinator declines: a questionnaire-based case study in Hungary. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2023; 79:1284-1294. [PMID: 36334003 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pesticides are one of the most important anthropogenic-related stressors. In times of global pollinator decline, the role of integrated farming and urban gardens in supporting wild pollinators is becoming increasingly important. We circulated an online questionnaire to survey plant protection practices among Hungarian farmers and garden owners with a particular emphasis on pollinator protection. RESULTS We found that plant growers rely heavily on pesticide use, and pesticides are used widely in otherwise pollinator-friendly gardens. Whether pesticide use practices were driven by expert opinion and respondent gender were the best predictors of pesticide use. Although most respondents supported pollinators, pesticides are also used widely among home garden owners, which can pose a non-evident ecological trap for pollinator populations in the gardens. CONCLUSION Special attention should be paid to implementing measures to reduce pesticide use not only in farmland, but also in home gardens. Environmental education and financial support through agroecological schemes could efficiently promote the transition away from pesticide use. However, whereas farmers can be encouraged to reduce pesticide use mostly by expert advice, garden owners are likely to rely on more conventional information channels. The attitudes of Hungarian plant growers can provide an insight into pesticide use practices of Central and Eastern European countries, but similar surveys are needed across Europe for a complete understanding of broad-scale processes. This work lays the foundations for similar studies that can inform and facilitate the transformation to pesticide-free farming and gardening. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsófia Varga-Szilay
- Doctoral School of Biology, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Pozsgai
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Departamento de Ciências e Engenharia do Ambiente, Universidade dos Açores, Açores, Portugal
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25
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ZANINOTTO V, FAUVIAU A, DAJOZ I. Diversity of greenspace design and management impacts pollinator communities in a densely urbanized landscape: the city of Paris, France. Urban Ecosyst 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-023-01351-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe response of insect pollinator communities to increasing urbanization is shaped by landscape and local factors. But what about habitats that are already highly artificial? We investigated the drivers of pollinator diversity in a dense urban matrix, the city of Paris. We monitored insect pollinator communities monthly (March-October) for two consecutive years in 12 green spaces that differed in their management practices, focusing on four insect orders (Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera). Pollinator abundance and species richness were both positively tied to green space size and flowering plant species richness, but negatively linked to surrounding impervious surfaces. In addition, environmental features at both the local and landscape scales influenced the composition and functional diversity of wild bee communities. Indeed, small and large bees responded differently, with the occurrence of large-bodied species being impaired by the proportion of impervious surfaces but strongly enhanced by plant species richness. Also, sites with a majority of spontaneous plant species had more functionally diverse bee communities, with oligolectic species more likely to be found.These results, consistent with the literature, can guide the design and management practices of urban green spaces to promote pollinator diversity and pollination function, even in dense urban environments.
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The degree of urbanisation reduces wild bee and butterfly diversity and alters the patterns of flower-visitation in urban dry grasslands. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2702. [PMID: 36792660 PMCID: PMC9932066 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Insect-provided pollination services are increasingly threatened due to alarming declines in insect pollinator populations. One of the main threats to insect pollinators and consequently pollination is urbanisation. Here, we investigate the effects of local habitat quality (patch size, flowering plant richness, bare soil cover, vegetation structure), degree of urbanisation (impervious surfaces) and 3D connectivity on bee, hoverfly and butterfly flower visitors and plant-flower visitor networks in flower-rich urban dry grasslands. Overall, the degree of urbanisation and the quality of the local habitat influenced the flowering plant and pollinator communities. Although flowering plant abundance increased with urbanisation, bee species richness and butterfly species richness decreased with increasing impervious surfaces. Flowering plant richness and ground nesting resource availability were positively related to bee richness and local vegetation structure boosted hoverfly and butterfly visitation rates. In terms of plant-pollinator interactions, insect pollinators visited a lower proportion of the available flowering plants in more urbanised areas and network modularity and specialisation increased with patch size. Our findings show that urban dry grasslands are valuable habitats for species-rich pollinator communities and further highlight the importance of minimizing the intensity of urbanisation and the potential of local management practices to support insect biodiversity in cities.
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Siviter H, Pardee GL, Baert N, McArt S, Jha S, Muth F. Wild bees are exposed to low levels of pesticides in urban grasslands and community gardens. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159839. [PMID: 36334673 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Globally documented wild bee declines threaten sustainable food production and natural ecosystem functioning. Urban environments are often florally abundant, and consequently can contain high levels of pollinator diversity compared with agricultural environments. This has led to the suggestion that urban environments are an increasingly important habitat for pollinators. However, pesticides, such as commercial bug sprays, have a range of lethal and sub-lethal impacts on bees and are widely available for public use, with past work indicating that managed bees (honeybees and bumblebees) are exposed to a range of pesticides in urban environments. Despite this, we still have a poor understanding of (i) whether wild bees foraging in urban environments are exposed to pesticides and (ii) if exposure differs between genera. Here we assessed pesticide exposure in 8 bee genera foraging across multiple urban landscapes. We detected 13 different pesticides, some at concentrations known to have sub-lethal impacts on pollinators. Both the likelihood of pesticides being detected, and the concentrations observed, were higher for larger bees, likely due to their greater foraging ranges. Our results suggest that restricting agrochemical use in urban environments, where the economic benefits are limited, is a simple way to reduce anthropogenic stress on wild bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK.
| | - Gabriella L Pardee
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Nicolas Baert
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Scott McArt
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Shalene Jha
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Austin, TX 78739, USA
| | - Felicity Muth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Casanelles‐Abella J, Fontana S, Fournier B, Frey D, Moretti M. Low resource availability drives feeding niche partitioning between wild bees and honeybees in a European city. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 33:e2727. [PMID: 36054537 PMCID: PMC10077915 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cities are socioecological systems that filter and select species, therefore establishing unique species assemblages and biotic interactions. Urban ecosystems can host richer wild bee communities than highly intensified agricultural areas, specifically in resource-rich urban green spaces such as allotments and family gardens. At the same time, urban beekeeping has boomed in many European cities, raising concerns that the fast addition of a large number of managed bees could deplete the existing floral resources, triggering competition between wild bees and honeybees. Here, we studied the interplay between resource availability and the number of honeybees at local and landscape scales and how this relationship influences wild bee diversity. We collected wild bees and honeybees in a pollination experiment using four standardized plant species with distinct floral morphologies. We performed the experiment in 23 urban gardens in the city of Zurich (Switzerland), distributed along gradients of urban and local management intensity, and measured functional traits related to resource use. At each site, we quantified the feeding niche partitioning (calculated as the average distance in the multidimensional trait space) between the wild bee community and the honeybee population. Using multilevel structural equation models (SEM), we tested direct and indirect effects of resource availability, urban beekeeping, and wild bees on the community feeding niche partitioning. We found an increase in feeding niche partitioning with increasing wild bee species richness. Moreover, feeding niche partitioning tended to increase in experimental sites with lower resource availability at the landscape scale, which had lower abundances of honeybees. However, beekeeping intensity at the local and landscape scales did not directly influence community feeding niche partitioning or wild bee species richness. In addition, wild bee species richness was positively influenced by local resource availability, whereas local honeybee abundance was positively affected by landscape resource availability. Overall, these results suggest that direct competition for resources was not a main driver of the wild bee community. Due to the key role of resource availability in maintaining a diverse bee community, our study encourages cities to monitor floral resources to better manage urban beekeeping and help support urban pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Casanelles‐Abella
- Biodiversity and Conservation BiologySwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Simone Fontana
- Biodiversity and Conservation BiologySwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
- Nature Conservation and Landscape EcologyUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Bertrand Fournier
- Institute of Environmental Sciences and Geography, University of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
| | - David Frey
- Biodiversity and Conservation BiologySwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation BiologySwiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
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Dung beetles prefer used land over natural greenspace in urban landscape. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22179. [PMID: 36564513 PMCID: PMC9789146 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26841-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization drives land-use and patterns of biodiversity. Yet, very little is known about how biodiversity of structurally different habitats is responded to urbanization. We surveyed coprophagous dung beetles and their ecological functional groups-tunnellers, dwellers, and rollers-in shaded natural semi-evergreen forests of sacred groves and the neighbouring relatively open home gardens of sites that represent three levels of urbanization to address the following questions: (1) Do sacred groves have higher abundance, richness, and diversity of dung beetles than home gardens? (2) Is urbanization a key driver of dung beetle abundance, richness, diversity, and community? (3) Is dung beetle assemblage of sacred groves immune to urbanization? and (4) Which ecological functional groups of dung beetles are affected by urbanization? We hypothesized that the sacred groves have a distinct community, resulting in higher abundance, richness, and diversity of dung beetles than home gardens, and the dung beetle assemblage of sacred groves may be immune to urbanization. We sampled the beetles during wet and dry periods using cow dung as a bait. Against our predictions, dung beetle abundance, richness, and diversity were higher in used lands than sacred groves, particularly in urban landscapes. The two habitats had distinct compositions of dung beetles. Tunnellers and rollers were affected by urbanization, but not dwellers. Heliophilic and synanthropic species characterized by smaller species dominated overall catches in the used lands of urban areas. Results downplay sacred grove as a potential refuge for dung beetles and suggest that the biodiversity of native forests may be affected more by urbanization than the manipulated anthropogenic habitats.
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Escobedo-Kenefic N, Casiá-Ajché QB, Cardona E, Escobar-González D, Mejía-Coroy A, Enríquez E, Landaverde-González P. Landscape or local? Distinct responses of flower visitor diversity and interaction networks to different land use scales in agricultural tropical highlands. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.974215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Land use change has been identified as a cause for biodiversity loss and has significant effects on pollinators and their interactions with plants. Interaction network analyses complement diversity estimators by providing information on the stability and functionality of the plant-pollinator community in an ecosystem. However, how land use changes affect insect diversity, and the structure of their plant-insect interaction networks, could depend on the intensity of the disturbance but also may be a matter of scale. Our study was carried out in a tropical highland landscape dominated by intense, yet diverse, small-scale agriculture. We studied the effects of land use, at a landscape scale, and local cover and plant ecological descriptors, at a local scale; on diversity descriptors of insect pollinator communities, the abundance of the most frequent flower visitors, and their interaction networks. Seminatural vegetation favored insect flower visitors at both scales. At the landscape scale, human settlements positively influenced bee diversity, and seminatural areas favored the abundance of frequent hoverfly and bumblebee species. At the local scale, bare soil cover negatively influenced honeybee abundance while flower-rich covers positively related to bumblebee abundance. Only local scale variables had influence on network metrics. Bare soil cover was related to higher network specialization, probably due to a low rate of honeybee interactions. Flower-rich covers negatively influenced network connectance but favored modularity. These results suggest that flower resources, provided by weed areas and flowering crops, promote a high rate of interactions between trophic levels and a non-random structure in the interaction networks that may be helping to sustain network stability. Our results highlight the role of seminatural vegetation, at both scales, in maintaining stable insect pollinator communities and interactions in heterogeneous agricultural landscapes of the tropics.
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Garlin J, Theodorou P, Kathe E, Quezada-Euán JJG, Paxton RJ, Soro A. Anthropogenic effects on the body size of two neotropical orchid bees. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:94. [PMID: 35918637 PMCID: PMC9347145 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02048-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
To accommodate an ever-increasing human population, agriculture is rapidly intensifying at the expense of natural habitat, with negative and widely reported effects on biodiversity in general and on wild bee abundance and diversity in particular. Cities are similarly increasing in area, though the impact of urbanisation on wild bees is more equivocal and potentially positive in northern temperate regions. Yet agriculture and urbanisation both lead to the loss and alteration of natural habitat, its fragmentation, a potential reduction in floral availability, and warmer temperatures, factors thought to be drivers of wild bee decline. They have also been shown to be factors to which wild bee populations respond through morphological change. Body size is one such trait that, because of its relation to individual fitness, has received growing attention as a morphological feature that responds to human induced modification in land use. Here, we investigated the change in body size of two sympatric orchid bee species on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in response to urbanization and agricultural intensification. By measuring 540 male individuals sampled from overall 24 sites, we found that Euglossa dilemma and Euglossa viridissima were on average smaller in urban and agricultural habitats than in natural ones. We discuss the potential role of reduced availability of resources in driving the observed body size shifts. Agricultural and urban land management in tropical regions might benefit wild bees if it encompassed the planting of flowering herbs and trees to enhance their conservation.
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Marcacci G, Grass I, Rao VS, Kumar S S, Tharini KB, Belavadi VV, Nölke N, Tscharntke T, Westphal C. Functional diversity of farmland bees across rural-urban landscapes in a tropical megacity. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2699. [PMID: 35751512 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanization poses a major threat to biodiversity and food security, as expanding cities, especially in the Global South, increasingly compete with natural and agricultural lands. However, the impact of urban expansion on agricultural biodiversity in tropical regions is overlooked. Here we assess how urbanization affects the functional response of farmland bees, the most important pollinators for crop production. We sampled bees across three seasons in 36 conventional vegetable-producing farms spread along an urbanization gradient in Bengaluru, an Indian megacity. We investigated how landscape and local environmental drivers affected different functional traits (sociality, nesting behavior, body size, and specialization) and functional diversity (functional dispersion) of bee communities. We found that the functional responses to urbanization were trait specific with more positive than negative effects of gray area (sealed surfaces and buildings) on species richness, functional diversity, and abundance of most functional groups. As expected, larger, solitary, cavity-nesting, and, surprisingly, specialist bees benefited from urbanization. In contrast to temperate cities, the abundance of ground nesters increased in urban areas, presumably because larger patches of bare soil were still available beside roads and buildings. However, overall bee abundance and the abundance of social bees (85% of all bees) decreased with urbanization, threatening crop pollination. Crop diversity promotes taxonomic and functional diversity of bee communities. Locally, flower resources promote the abundance of all functional groups, and natural vegetation can maintain diverse pollinator communities throughout the year, especially during the noncropping season. However, exotic plants decrease functional diversity and bee specialization. To safeguard bees and their pollination services in urban farms, we recommend (1) preserving seminatural vegetation (hedges) around cropping fields to provide nesting opportunities for aboveground nesters, (2) promoting farm-level crop diversification of beneficial crops (e.g., pulses, vegetables, and spices), (3) maintaining native natural vegetation along field margins, and (4) controlling and removing invasive exotic plants that disrupt native plant-pollinator interactions. Overall, our results suggest that urban agriculture can maintain functionally diverse bee communities and, if managed in a sustainable manner, be used to develop win-win solutions for biodiversity conservation of pollinators and food security in and around cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Marcacci
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ingo Grass
- Ecology of Tropical Agricultural Systems, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Vikas S Rao
- Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Shabarish Kumar S
- Department of Apiculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
| | - K B Tharini
- Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Vasuki V Belavadi
- Agricultural Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India
| | - Nils Nölke
- Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Teja Tscharntke
- Agroecology, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Catrin Westphal
- Functional Agrobiodiversity, Department of Crop Sciences, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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Donald ML, Galbraith JA, Erastova DA, Podolyan A, Miller TEX, Dhami MK. Nectar resources affect bird-dispersed microbial metacommunities in suburban and rural gardens. Environ Microbiol 2022; 24:5654-5665. [PMID: 36102191 PMCID: PMC10087401 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
As cities expand, understanding how urbanization affects biodiversity is a key ecological goal. Yet, little is known about how host-associated microbial diversity responds to urbanization. We asked whether communities of microbial (bacterial and fungal) in floral nectar and sugar-water feeders and vectored by nectar-feeding birds-thus forming a metacommunity-differed in composition and diversity between suburban and rural gardens. Compared to rural birds, we found that suburban birds vectored different and more diverse bacterial communities. These differences were not detected in the nectar of common plant species, suggesting that nectar filters microbial taxa and results in metacommunity convergence. However, when considering all the nectar sources present, suburban beta diversity was elevated compared to rural beta diversity due to turnover of bacterial taxa across a plant species and sugar-water feeders. While fungal metacommunity composition and beta diversity in nectar were similar between suburban and rural sites, alpha diversity was elevated in suburban sites, which mirrored the trend of increased fungal alpha diversity on birds. These results emphasize the interdependence of host, vector, and microbial diversity and demonstrate that human decisions can shape nectar microbial diversity in contrasting ways for bacteria and fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion L Donald
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.,Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Josie A Galbraith
- Department of Natural Sciences, Auckland Museum, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Daria A Erastova
- School of Biological Science, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Anastasija Podolyan
- Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Tom E X Miller
- Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Manpreet K Dhami
- Biocontrol & Molecular Ecology, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Lincoln, New Zealand
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Carper AL, Warren PS, Adler LS, Irwin RE. Pollen limitation of native plant reproduction in an urban landscape. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2022; 109:1969-1980. [PMID: 36200335 PMCID: PMC10092213 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.16080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Evidence suggests that bees may benefit from moderate levels of human development. However, the effects of human development on pollination and reproduction of bee-pollinated plants are less-well understood. Studies have measured natural variation in pollination and plant reproduction as a function of urbanization, but few have experimentally measured the magnitude of pollen limitation in urban vs. non-urban sites. Doing so is important to unambiguously link changes in pollination to plant reproduction. Previous work in the Southeastern United States found that urban sites supported twice the abundance of bees compared to non-urban sites. We tested the hypothesis that greater bee abundance in some of the same urban sites translates into reduced pollen limitation compared to non-urban sites. METHODS We manipulated pollination to three native, wild-growing, bee-pollinated plants: Gelsemium sempervirens, Oenothera fruticosa, and Campsis radicans. Using supplemental pollinations, we tested for pollen limitation of three components of female reproduction in paired urban and non-urban sites. We also measured pollen receipt as a proxy for pollinator visitation. RESULTS We found that all three plant species were pollen-limited for some measures of female reproduction. However, opposite to our original hypothesis, two of the three species were more pollen-limited in urban relative to non-urban sites. We found that open-pollinated flowers in urban sites received less conspecific and more heterospecific pollen on average than those in non-urban sites. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that even when urban sites have more abundant pollinators, this may not alleviate pollen limitation of native plant reproduction in urban landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian L. Carper
- Department of Biological SciencesDartmouth College, 78 College StHanover, New Hampshire03755USA
- Present address:
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ColoradoCampus Box 334Boulder, Colorado80309‐0334USA
| | - Paige S. Warren
- Department of Environmental ConservationUniversity of MassachusettsAmherst, Massachusetts01003USA
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of BiologyUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMA01003USA
| | - Rebecca E. Irwin
- Department of Biological SciencesDartmouth College, 78 College StHanover, New Hampshire03755USA
- Present address:
Department of Applied EcologyNorth Carolina State UniversityRaleighNorth Carolina27695USA
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Watson TL, Martel C, Arceo‐Gómez G. Plant species richness and sunlight exposure increase pollinator attraction to pollinator gardens. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Travis L. Watson
- Department of Biological Sciences East Tennessee State University Johnson City Tennessee USA
| | - Carlos Martel
- Department of Biological Sciences East Tennessee State University Johnson City Tennessee USA
- Instituto de Ciencias Ómicas y Biotecnología Aplicada Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú Lima Peru
| | - Gerardo Arceo‐Gómez
- Department of Biological Sciences East Tennessee State University Johnson City Tennessee USA
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A large-scale dataset reveals taxonomic and functional specificities of wild bee communities in urban habitats of Western Europe. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18866. [PMID: 36344518 PMCID: PMC9640672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21512-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild bees are declining, mainly due to the expansion of urban habitats that have led to land-use changes. Effects of urbanization on wild bee communities are still unclear, as shown by contrasting reports on their species and functional diversities in urban habitats. To address this current controversy, we built a large dataset, merging 16 surveys carried out in 3 countries of Western Europe during the past decades, and tested whether urbanization influences local wild bee taxonomic and functional community composition. These surveys encompassed a range of urbanization levels, that were quantified using two complementary metrics: the proportion of impervious surfaces and the human population density. Urban expansion, when measured as a proportion of impervious surfaces, but not as human population density, was significantly and negatively correlated with wild bee community species richness. Taxonomic dissimilarity of the bee community was independent of both urbanization metrics. However, occurrence rates of functional traits revealed significant differences between lightly and highly urbanized communities, for both urbanization metrics. With higher human population density, probabilities of occurrence of above-ground nesters, generalist and small species increased. With higher soil sealing, probabilities of occurrence of above-ground nesters, generalists and social bees increased as well. Overall, these results, based on a large European dataset, suggest that urbanization can have negative impacts on wild bee diversity. They further identify some traits favored in urban environments, showing that several wild bee species can thrive in cities.
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Sinu PA, Jamal M, Shaji G, Hariraveendra M, Viswan G, Abhiram Krishnan P, Das A, Aneha K, Pooja AR, Salikity S, Arathy V. Ornamental roses for conservation of leafcutter bee pollinators. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18700. [PMID: 36333399 PMCID: PMC9636231 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23041-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollinator conservation is a global priority. Efforts are taken to restore pollinators by improving flower resources, a crucial driver of pollinator diversity and population growth. It helped gardening and landscaping supply chains, which introduced lists of bee-friendly plants and bee hotels, yet, desirable results seem distant. One shortcoming of the present schemes is that they lack a cohesive planning for nesting opportunities and nesting provisions for wild solitary bees, the crucial pollinators of crop and wild plants. We tested whether the world's popular ornamental plant, rose (Rosa chinensis Jacq.)-a hitherto unlisted bee-friendly plant-can aid in conserving leafcutter bees, which require fresh leaves for constructing nest cells. We surveyed 2360 rose plants in 136 sites in rural and urban places and lowlands and highlands of south (8°N-12°N) and northeastern India (26°N-27°N) for the characteristic notches the bees leave on foraged leaves. We reared brood constructed with rose and non-rose leaves to examine the brood success rate. About a quarter of all the roses surveyed had the notches of leafcutter bees on the leaves. However, the proportion of cut roses varied considerably among sites. Bees used roses much higher in urban areas and lowlands than in rural areas and highlands. The selection of plants was negatively associated with pesticide application. The brood success rate was 100% for the brood that was constructed by the leaves of rose and non-rose plants. Rose flowers do not support bees, but rose leaves indeed do. We recommend rose plants in leafcutter bee conservation and restoration schemes, particularly in urban environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palatty Allesh Sinu
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - Mubarak Jamal
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - Greeshma Shaji
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - M. Hariraveendra
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - Gopika Viswan
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - P. Abhiram Krishnan
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - Ankita Das
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - K. Aneha
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - A. R. Pooja
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - Spandana Salikity
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
| | - V. Arathy
- grid.440670.10000 0004 1764 8188Central University of Kerala, Periya, Kasaragod, Kerala 671316 India
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Beaujour PM, Cézilly F. The Importance of Urban Green Spaces for Pollinating Insects: The Case of the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. CARIBB J SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.18475/cjos.v52i2.a11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Michard Beaujour
- UMR CNRS MNHN ISYEB, UFR Sciences Exactes et Naturelles, Université des Antilles, Campus de Fouillole, Guadeloupe, France
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Pinilla-Rosa M, García-Saúco G, Santiago A, Ferrandis P, Méndez M. Can botanic gardens serve as refuges for taxonomic and functional diversity of Odonata? The case of the botanic garden of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). LIMNOLOGY 2022; 24:37-50. [PMID: 36258754 PMCID: PMC9559554 DOI: 10.1007/s10201-022-00704-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED In a scenario with declining biodiversity and habitat loss, botanic gardens could serve as refuges for invertebrates, but the opportunities they offer for animal conservation are still poorly understood. Odonata is a good model group for conservation studies, because it includes threatened species and responses to habitat disturbance are well documented. In this study, we assessed the role of the botanic garden of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain as a refuge for members of Odonata by analysing their taxonomic and functional diversity. We explored if the small size of the botanic garden might constrain the taxonomic diversity of Odonata and if low habitat diversity might limit their functional diversity. We sampled adult Odonata from five water bodies along a gradient of human impact and characterized the Odonata communities based on 12 functional traits in Odonata. We used a species-area relationship to control for differences in the size of water bodies. Compared with natural lakes, the Odonata communities contained less species and their functional diversity was lower in the botanic garden ponds, where generalist species were basically hosted. Despite these limitations, the botanic garden ponds hosted the number of species expected for natural water bodies with the moderate surface area and functional diversity, thereby demonstrating that they are a valuable habitat for Odonata in an urban environment. Appropriate management involving the removal of exotic fish and habitat diversification, including creating lotic environments, would increase the taxonomic and functional diversity of Odonata in this urban system. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10201-022-00704-3.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alejandro Santiago
- Botanic garden of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. de La Mancha s/n, 02006 Albacete, Spain
| | - Pablo Ferrandis
- Botanic garden of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. de La Mancha s/n, 02006 Albacete, Spain
- Botanic Institute of the University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda. de La Mancha s/n, 02006 Albacete, Spain
| | - Marcos Méndez
- University Rey Juan Carlos, C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Madrid Spain
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40
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Erickson E, Junker RR, Ali JG, McCartney N, Patch HM, Grozinger CM. Complex floral traits shape pollinator attraction to ornamental plants. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 130:561-577. [PMID: 35732011 PMCID: PMC9510942 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Ornamental flowering plant species are often used in managed greenspaces to attract and support pollinator populations. In natural systems, selection by pollinators is hypothesized to result in convergent multimodal floral phenotypes that are more attractive to specific pollinator taxa. In contrast, ornamental cultivars are bred via artificial selection by humans, and exhibit diverse and distinct phenotypes. Despite their prevalence in managed habitats, the influence of cultivar phenotypic variation on plant attractiveness to pollinator taxa is not well resolved. METHODS We used a combination of field and behavioural assays to evaluate how variation in floral visual, chemical and nutritional traits impacted overall attractiveness and visitation by pollinator taxonomic groups and bee species to 25 cultivars of five herbaceous perennial ornamental plant genera. KEY RESULTS Despite significant phenotypic variation, cultivars tended to attract a broad range of pollinator species. Nonetheless, at the level of insect order (bee, fly, butterfly, beetle), attraction was generally modulated by traits consistent with the pollination syndrome hypothesis. At the level of bee species, the relative influence of traits on visitation varied across plant genera, with some floral phenotypes leading to a broadening of the visitor community, and others leading to exclusion of visitation by certain bee species. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate how pollinator choice is mediated by complex multimodal floral signals. Importantly, the traits that had the greatest and most consistent effect on regulating pollinator attraction were those that are commonly selected for in cultivar development. Though variation among cultivars in floral traits may limit the pollinator community by excluding certain species, it may also encourage interactions with generalist taxa to support pollinator diversity in managed landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R R Junker
- Evolutionary Ecology of Plants, Department of Biology, University of Marburg, 35043 Marburg, Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - J G Ali
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, ASI Building University Park, PA, USA
| | - N McCartney
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, ASI Building University Park, PA, USA
| | - H M Patch
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, ASI Building University Park, PA, USA
| | - C M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, ASI Building University Park, PA, USA
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Prudic KL, Cruz TMP, Winzer JIB, Oliver JC, Melkonoff NA, Verbais H, Hogan A. Botanical Gardens Are Local Hotspots for Urban Butterflies in Arid Environments. INSECTS 2022; 13:865. [PMID: 36292813 PMCID: PMC9604306 DOI: 10.3390/insects13100865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Urban areas are proliferating quickly around the globe often with detrimental impacts on biodiversity. Insects, especially pollinators, have also seen record declines in recent decades, sometimes associated with land use change such as urbanization, but also associated with climate changes such as increased aridity. How these various factors play out in attracting and sustaining species richness in a complex urban matrix is poorly understood. Urban botanical gardens may serve as important refugia for insect pollinators in arid regions due to reliable water availability for both plants and insects. Here, we use community science data on butterfly observations to evaluate if botanical gardens can be hotspots of biodiversity in the arid urban landscapes of the southwest US. We found butterfly richness and diversity were proportionally overrepresented in botanical gardens compared with the urban landscape they were embedded in. We conclude that biodiversity-friendly botanical gardens in urban arid regions can make a valuable contribution to pollinator conservation, in particular, in face of the continued aridification due to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen L. Prudic
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Arizona Institute for Resilient Environments and Societies, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Terese Maxine P. Cruz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Jazmyn I. B. Winzer
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Jeffrey C. Oliver
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Research Engagement, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Natalie A. Melkonoff
- School of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
- Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, AZ 85008, USA
| | - Hank Verbais
- Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens & Galleries, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
| | - Andrew Hogan
- Tohono Chul Botanical Gardens & Galleries, Tucson, AZ 85704, USA
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Persson AS, Westman A, Smith TJ, Mayfield MM, Olsson P, Smith HG, Fuller R. Backyard buzz: human population density modifies the value of vegetation cover for insect pollinators in a subtropical city. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01277-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractUrbanisation drives overall declines in insect pollinators. Although urban green spaces can provide suitable habitat for pollinators much remains to be learned about how urban landscapes either promote or negatively impact pollinators. We investigated how backyard design, local (100 m) and landscape (500 m) scale vegetation cover and human population density were associated with non-eusocial native bee species, eusocial bees (Apis mellifera and Tetragonula spp.), and hoverflies, in residential green spaces of the subtropical city Brisbane, Australia. We found that associations between bee abundance and vegetation cover were moderated by human density, but the direction of this effect differed for non-eusocial and eusocial species. Non-eusocial bee abundance was positively associated with tree cover at local and landscape scales when human densities were low, but negatively so at high human population densities. We suggest this may be because the quality of vegetation for non-eusocial bees deteriorates as human density increases. In contrast, abundance of eusocial bees was negatively associated with increasing local cover of grass and shrubs at low levels of human density, but positively associated at high densities. This affinity to humans could partly be explained by domesticated “kept” hives. We found no effect of urban gradients on bee species richness. Hoverfly abundance was negatively related to human density and positively related to vegetation cover at local and landscape scales. At the backyard scale, both bee species richness and bee and hoverfly abundances were positively associated to flower abundance. Backyards with more vegetation cover had higher densities of non-eusocial bees. Our results thus support the idea that urban greening in densely populated areas at multiple spatial scales can benefit a range of insect pollinators.
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Nabors A, Hung KLJ, Corkidi L, Bethke JA. California Native Perennials Attract Greater Native Pollinator Abundance and Diversity Than Nonnative, Commercially Available Ornamentals in Southern California. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:836-847. [PMID: 35854655 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
While many factors have been implicated in global pollinator decline, habitat loss is a key driver of wild pollinator decline in both abundance and species richness. An increase in and diversification of pollinator habitat, even in urban settings, can assist in the conservation of pollinator populations. In Southern California, a highly fragmented and urbanized landscape with a rich yet threatened native pollinator fauna, the availability of food resources for native pollinators hinges largely upon the selection of ornamental plants grown in the urban landscape. To examine the pollinator attractiveness of ornamental plants in a Southern California context, we installed an experimental garden with common California native and nonnative ornamental perennials and observed floral visitation and visitor community composition for 3 yr. Our study demonstrates that while native pollinators visited common ornamental perennials native to California at a higher rate than they visited nonnative ornamentals, introduced honey bees showed no significant preference for either native or nonnative species. Native plants also received a greater diversity of visitor taxa, including a richer suite of native bees. Plant species differed dramatically in attractiveness, by as much as a factor of 12, even within the native status group. Our results suggest that including a data-driven selection of both native and non-native ornamental perennials in the urban landscape can diversify the assemblage of native pollinators, provide critical floral resources throughout the year, and reduce the impact of honey bee landscape foraging dominance by providing plants highly attractive to native pollinators and less so to honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Nabors
- University of California Cooperative Extension, San Diego County, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Keng-Lou James Hung
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory & Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Lea Corkidi
- University of California Cooperative Extension, San Diego County, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - James A Bethke
- University of California Cooperative Extension, San Diego County, San Diego, CA, USA
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Coleman AL, Wait DA. Urban Prairie Plots and Gardens Can Sustain Plant-Pollinator Interactions Similar to Established Rural Prairies. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-188.1.102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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45
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Theodorou P. The effects of urbanisation on ecological interactions. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 52:100922. [PMID: 35490874 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2022.100922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Cities are expanding worldwide and urbanisation is considered a global threat to biodiversity. Urban ecology has provided important insights on how urban environmental changes might affect individuals, populations, and species; however, we know little about how the ecological impacts of urbanisation alter species interactions. Species interactions are the backbone of ecological communities and play a crucial role in population and community dynamics and in the generation, maintenance and structure of biodiversity. Here, I review urban ecological studies to identify key mechanistic pathways through which urban environmental processes could alter antagonistic and mutualistic interactions among species. More specifically, I focus on insect predation, parasitoidism and herbivory, competition, insect host-pathogen interactions, and pollination. I furthermore identify important knowledge gaps that require additional research attention and I suggest future research directions that may help to shed light on the mechanisms that affect species interactions and structure insect communities and will thus aid conservation management in cities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Theodorou
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Puschstraße 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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46
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Ganuza C, Redlich S, Uhler J, Tobisch C, Rojas-Botero S, Peters MK, Zhang J, Benjamin CS, Englmeier J, Ewald J, Fricke U, Haensel M, Kollmann J, Riebl R, Uphus L, Müller J, Steffan-Dewenter I. Interactive effects of climate and land use on pollinator diversity differ among taxa and scales. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm9359. [PMID: 35544641 PMCID: PMC9075793 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Changes in climate and land use are major threats to pollinating insects, an essential functional group. Here, we unravel the largely unknown interactive effects of both threats on seven pollinator taxa using a multiscale space-for-time approach across large climate and land-use gradients in a temperate region. Pollinator community composition, regional gamma diversity, and community dissimilarity (beta diversity) of pollinator taxa were shaped by climate-land-use interactions, while local alpha diversity was solely explained by their additive effects. Pollinator diversity increased with reduced land-use intensity (forest < grassland < arable land < urban) and high flowering-plant diversity at different spatial scales, and higher temperatures homogenized pollinator communities across regions. Our study reveals declines in pollinator diversity with land-use intensity at multiple spatial scales and regional community homogenization in warmer and drier climates. Management options at several scales are highlighted to mitigate impacts of climate change on pollinators and their ecosystem services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Ganuza
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sarah Redlich
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Johannes Uhler
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Cynthia Tobisch
- Institute of Ecology and Landscape, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, Freising, Germany
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Sandra Rojas-Botero
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Marcell K. Peters
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Caryl S. Benjamin
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Ecoclimatology, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Jana Englmeier
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Ewald
- Institute of Ecology and Landscape, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, Freising, Germany
| | - Ute Fricke
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Maria Haensel
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Johannes Kollmann
- Chair of Restoration Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Rebekka Riebl
- Professorship of Ecological Services, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Lars Uphus
- TUM School of Life Sciences, Ecoclimatology, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Jörg Müller
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
- Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Svenningsen CS, Bowler DE, Hecker S, Bladt J, Grescho V, Dam NM, Dauber J, Eichenberg D, Ejrnæs R, Fløjgaard C, Frenzel M, Frøslev TG, Hansen AJ, Heilmann‐Clausen J, Huang Y, Larsen JC, Menger J, Nayan NLBM, Pedersen LB, Richter A, Dunn RR, Tøttrup AP, Bonn A. Flying insect biomass is negatively associated with urban cover in surrounding landscapes. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Diana E. Bowler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena Institute of Biodiversity Jena Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Susanne Hecker
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Jesper Bladt
- Department of Bioscience – Biodiversity and Conservation Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Volker Grescho
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Nicole M. Dam
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena Institute of Biodiversity Jena Germany
| | - Jens Dauber
- Thünen‐Institute of Biodiversity Braunschweig Germany
| | - David Eichenberg
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Rasmus Ejrnæs
- Department of Bioscience – Biodiversity and Conservation Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Camilla Fløjgaard
- Department of Bioscience – Biodiversity and Conservation Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Mark Frenzel
- Department of Community Ecology Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Halle Germany
| | - Tobias G. Frøslev
- Centre for GeoGenetics GLOBE Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Anders J. Hansen
- Centre for GeoGenetics GLOBE Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Jacob Heilmann‐Clausen
- Centre for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate GLOBE Institute University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Yuanyuan Huang
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Jonas C. Larsen
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Juliana Menger
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
- Coordenação de Biodiversidade Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
| | - Nur L. B. M. Nayan
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Lene B. Pedersen
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Anett Richter
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
- Thünen‐Institute of Biodiversity Braunschweig Germany
| | - Robert R. Dunn
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
- Department of Applied Ecology North Carolina State University Raleigh North Carolina USA
| | - Anders P. Tøttrup
- Natural History Museum of Denmark University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Aletta Bonn
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena Institute of Biodiversity Jena Germany
- Department of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ Leipzig Germany
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48
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Crone MK, Biddinger DJ, Grozinger CM. Wild Bee Nutritional Ecology: Integrative Strategies to Assess Foraging Preferences and Nutritional Requirements. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.847003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Bees depend on flowering plants for their nutrition, and reduced availability of floral resources is a major driver of declines in both managed and wild bee populations. Understanding the nutritional needs of different bee species, and how these needs are met by the varying nutritional resources provided by different flowering plant taxa, can greatly inform land management recommendations to support bee populations and their associated ecosystem services. However, most bee nutrition research has focused on the three most commonly managed and commercially reared bee taxa—honey bees, bumble bees, and mason bees—with fewer studies focused on wild bees and other managed species, such as leafcutting bees, stingless bees, and alkali bees. Thus, we have limited information about the nutritional requirements and foraging preferences of the vast majority of bee species. Here, we discuss the approaches traditionally used to understand bee nutritional ecology: identification of floral visitors of selected focal plant species, evaluation of the foraging preferences of adults in selected focal bee species, evaluation of the nutritional requirements of focal bee species (larvae or adults) in controlled settings, and examine how these methods may be adapted to study a wider range of bee species. We also highlight emerging technologies that have the potential to greatly facilitate studies of the nutritional ecology of wild bee species, as well as evaluate bee nutritional ecology at significantly larger spatio-temporal scales than were previously feasible. While the focus of this review is on bee species, many of these techniques can be applied to other pollinator taxa as well.
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Brom P, Underhill LG, Winter K. A review of the opportunities to support pollinator populations in South African cities. PeerJ 2022; 10:e12788. [PMID: 35295555 PMCID: PMC8919850 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally insects are declining, but some guilds of pollinators are finding refuge in urban landscapes. The body of knowledge on urban pollinators is relatively mature, which means it is now possible to begin to make generalization. Unfortunately, studies do not represent climatic regions evenly and there is a gap in research from the African continent. This study aimed to address some of the gaps on urban pollination knowledge in South Africa and to identify opportunities to improve urban habitats for pollinators. We reviewed the international literature on urban pollinators and the South African literature on pollinators with a landscape ecology focus, drawing on literature with an emphasis on agricultural and ecosystem services. The findings show that some taxa (e.g. large-bodied, cavity nesting bees) will exploit urban environments increasing in abundance with urban intensity. Moderately sensitive taxa (such as small-bodied, ground-nesting bees) take advantage of urban environments only if local habitats are supportive of their needs for resource provision and habitat connectivity. The South African urban poor rely on pollination services for subsistence agriculture and the reproduction of wild-foraged medicines and food. Potential interventions to improve habitat quality include strategic mowing practices, conversion of turf-grass to floral rich habitats, scientific confirmation of lists of highly attractive flowers, and inclusion of small-scale flower patches throughout the urban matrix. Further research is needed to fill the Africa gap for both specialized and generalized pollinators (Diptera, Halictids, Lepidoptera and Hopliini) in urban areas where ornamental and indigenous flowering plants are valued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peta Brom
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Les G. Underhill
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Kevin Winter
- Environmental and Geographical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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50
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Ivers NA, Jordan Z, Cohen H, Tripodi A, Brown MJF, Liere H, Lin BB, Philpott S, Jha S. Parasitism of urban bumble bees influenced by pollinator taxonomic richness, local garden management, and surrounding impervious cover. Urban Ecosyst 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-022-01211-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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