Stefanie Steele, Erica Rudolph, Susan E. Masta Department of Biology, Portland State University

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Stefanie Steele, Erica Rudolph, Susan E. Masta Department of Biology, Portland State University Survey of the Bees of Portland Stefanie Steele, Erica Rudolph, Susan E. Masta Department of Biology, Portland State University Taxon SW Portland Downtown N Portland Bombus appositus U NR NR Abstract 8 Seasonality of bees Bombus fervidus U NR NR 7 Bombus flavifrons C NR NR 6 Ceratina acantha We surveyed the bee species present in three regions of Portland over the Bombus melanopygus C NR NR 5 Bombus mixtus C NR NR 4 course of two years. We found a wide diversity of bees present, 3 Bombus vosnesenskii A A A 2 representing five different families. Our survey allowed us to make a list Ceratina acantha A A A 1 of the bee species present in these highly urbanized landscapes in the Ceratina micheneri U U 0 Ceratina tejonensis U core of Portland. Seasonality and floral use of the different species were Ceratina pacifica U U Male Female Melissodes sp. H U recorded, to better document the life histories of taxa for which little 16 Melissodes sp. I C C C 14 prior data existed. Our data allow us to make recommendations to Melissodes sp. J U 12 Lasioglossum Dialictus sp. A. 10 property owners and managers on how to provide habitat and resources Melissodes sp. K U 8 Nomada sp. D C 6 for native bees in the Portland region, to help in efforts to conserve these 4 Triepeolus sp. A U U 2 often-overlooked pollinators. Anthidium manicatum C C C 0 Anthidium sp. A C C Photo by: cerberilla Anthidium sp. B U Heriades carinata C C Hoplitis sp. A U 6 5 Halictus tripartitus Introduction and Goals Megachile angelarum C C C 4 Megachile apicalis U 3 2 Bees provide important ecosystem services of pollinating plants in urban Megachile fidelis U 1 orchards and gardens, but we have little knowledge of what species are Megachile melitarsus U 0 Megachile perihirta U present in Portland, Oregon. Therefore, our goals were to: Megachile rotundata U Osmia aglaia U Osmia cornifrons C C 1) Create a list of bee species present in Portland Osmia lignaria C C 2) Document floral use by each species Osmia sp. A U 3) Document the seasonality of each species Osmia sp. B U Floral use of bees Stelis sp. U Ceratina7 acantha: Used multiple plant families and genera Agapostemon femoratus C C 6 5 Agapostemon texanus U 4 Agapostemon virescens C C C 3 Halictus confusus C C C 2 Methods 1 Halictus ligatus A A A 0 Halictus rubicundus U Photo By The Packer Lab. • Three locations were surveyed in Portland in 2017 and 2018. Halictus tripartitus A A A • Bees were hand-collected every two weeks between March and Lasioglossum Dialictus A A A A Lasioglossum: Used multiple plant families, primarily Asteraceae Lasioglossum Dialictus B U U 16 September and preserved in PSU’s Museum of Natural History. 14 Lasioglossum Dialictus C C C 12 10 • Bees were identified using available keys, or else determined to Lasioglossum Dialictus D U 8 6 morphospecies. Only female morphospecies were used for Lasioglossum sp. G C C 4 2 Lasioglossum sp. H U 0 compiling the list of taxa. Lasioglossum egregium C C Lasioglossum pacificum D U 7 Sphecodes sp. A U Melissodes : Used only plants in the family Asteraceae Andrena sp. A U 6 5 Andrena sp. B U 4 Site Locations Andrena sp. D U 3 Andrena sp. E U 2 Andrena sp. F U North Portland: 1 By: Cool Green Science Andrena sp. G U 0 Ecological restoration site along the Andrena sp. H C C Aster Calendula Coreopsis Cosmos Helianthus Rudbeckia Solidago Taraxacum Willamette River. Industrial area Andrena sp. O U Andrena sp. P U Andrena sp. Q U Conclusions and Recommendations Downtown Portland, PSU: Andrena sp. R U • 66 morphologically distinct species in 5 families were present. Portland State University is located in Andrena sp. T U Panurginus sp. C U • Some bees showed strong seasonality (e.g. Andrena in spring and downtown Portland. Urban area Hylaeus sp. A C C Hylaeus sp. B U Anthidium in summer), and others did not (e.g. Ceratina). Hylaeus sp. C C • Lasioglossum and Ceratina were floral generalists; Melissodes were floral Southwest Portland: Hylaeus sp. F U Suburban neighborhood in the southwest specialists of the family Asteraceae. hills of Portland. Residential area Key: A = Abundant; C = Common; U = Uncommon, NR = not • Due to the seasonality of bees it is important to have floral resources recorded. Shading: orange=Apidae; blue=Megachilidae; green= available all season. Halictidae; yellow=Andrenidae; purple=Colletidae • For small bees, plant Asteraceae and Lamiaceae with small flowers. .
Recommended publications
  • Bees in Urban Landscapes: an Investigation of Habitat Utilization By
    Bees in urban landscapes: An investigation of habitat utilization By Victoria Agatha Wojcik A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science, Policy, & Management in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Joe R. McBride, Chair Professor Gregory S. Biging Professor Louise A. Mozingo Fall 2009 Bees in urban landscapes: An investigation of habitat utilization © 2009 by Victoria Agatha Wojcik ABSTRACT Bees in urban landscapes: An investigation of habitat utilization by Victoria Agatha Wojcik Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science, Policy, & Management University of California, Berkeley Professor Joe R. McBride, Chair Bees are one of the key groups of anthophilies that make use of the floral resources present within urban landscapes. The ecological patterns of bees in cities are under further investigation in this dissertation work in an effort to build knowledge capacity that can be applied to management and conservation. Seasonal occurrence patterns are common among bees and their floral resources in wildland habitats. To investigate the nature of these phenological interactions in cities, bee visitation to a constructed floral resource base in Berkeley, California was monitored in the first year of garden development. The constructed habitat was used by nearly one-third of the locally known bee species. Bees visiting this urban resource displayed distinct patterns of seasonality paralleling those of wildland bees, with some species exhibiting extended seasons. Differential bee visitation patterns are common between individual floral resources. The effective monitoring of bee populations requires an understanding of this variability. To investigate the patterns and trends in urban resource usage, the foraging of the community of bees visiting Tecoma stans resources in three tropical dry forest cities in Costa Rica was studied.
    [Show full text]
  • Common Pollinators of British Columbia – a Visual Identification
    COMMON POLLINATORS OF BRITISH COLUMBIA A Visual Identification Guide Created by Border Free Bees and the Environmental Youth Alliance 1 · Navigation Honey Bee Bumble Bee Other Bees Hover Fly Butterfly Wasp Navigation 2 Introduction 3 Insight Citizen Science 3 Basic Insect Anatomy Pollinator Categories 4 Honey Bee 8 Bumble Bee 12 Other Bees 20 Hover Fly 24 Butterfly 28 Wasp 31 Complimentary Resources 32 Acknowledgments 33 Field Notes Introduction This visual guide was created to help as a field guide to use in comparing educate the public on how to identify closely similar species. Rather, treat common pollinators in British Columbia. this guide as a visual aid to direct your Bees are by far the most representative skills towards different families of group, and critically important bees and general characteristics you to providing pollination service to may be able to see while outdoors. terrestrial ecosystems and agricultural The guide breaks pollinators down landscapes. They effectively transfer into 6 categories: Honey Bees, Bumble pollen with feather-like hairs on their Bees, Other Bees, Wasps, Hover Flies and bodies capturing pollen grains. It is Butterflies. With a basic understanding estimated that there are around 500 of the characteristics that differentiate species of bees in British Columbia. these types of pollinators you can This guide serves as an introduction to participate in pollinator citizen science the common groups of pollinators that programs with ease. you may observe, and does not stand Basic Insect Anatomy Antenna Proboscis (tongue) Compound Eye Insight is a mobile app created by Border Free Bees that Thorax makes it easy for citizens to record pollinator observations Forewing using their smart phones.
    [Show full text]
  • This Document Is Made Available Electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library As Part of an Ongoing Digital Archiving Project
    This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp Cover photography: Blanding’s turtle (Emys blandingii) hatchling, Camp Ripley Training Center, August 2018. Photography by Camp Ripley Envrionmental staff. Minnesota Army National Guard Camp Ripley Training Center and Arden Hills Army Training Site 2018 Conservation Program Report January 1 – December 31, 2018 Division of Ecological and Water Resources Minnesota Department of Natural Resources for the Minnesota Army National Guard MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES CAMP RIPLEY SERIES REPORT NO. 28 ©2019, State of Minnesota Contact Information: MNDNR Information Center 500 Lafayette Road Saint Paul, MN 55155-4040 (651) 296-6157 Toll Free 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367) TYY (Hearing Impaired) (651) 296-5484 1-800-657-3929 www.dnr.state.mn.us This report should be cited as follows: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Army National Guard. 2019. Minnesota Army National Guard, Camp Ripley Training Center and Arden Hills Army Training Site, 2018 Conservation Program Report, January 1 – December 31, 2018. Compiled by Katie Retka, Camp Ripley Series Report No. 28, Little Falls, MN, USA. 234 pp. Table of Contents Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 1 Camp Ripley Training Center .....................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • FORTY YEARS of CHANGE in SOUTHWESTERN BEE ASSEMBLAGES Catherine Cumberland University of New Mexico - Main Campus
    University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Biology ETDs Electronic Theses and Dissertations Summer 7-15-2019 FORTY YEARS OF CHANGE IN SOUTHWESTERN BEE ASSEMBLAGES Catherine Cumberland University of New Mexico - Main Campus Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Cumberland, Catherine. "FORTY YEARS OF CHANGE IN SOUTHWESTERN BEE ASSEMBLAGES." (2019). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_etds/321 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Electronic Theses and Dissertations at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology ETDs by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Catherine Cumberland Candidate Biology Department This dissertation is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication: Approved by the Dissertation Committee: Kenneth Whitney, Ph.D., Chairperson Scott Collins, Ph.D. Paula Klientjes-Neff, Ph.D. Diane Marshall, Ph.D. Kelly Miller, Ph.D. i FORTY YEARS OF CHANGE IN SOUTHWESTERN BEE ASSEMBLAGES by CATHERINE CUMBERLAND B.A., Biology, Sonoma State University 2005 B.A., Environmental Studies, Sonoma State University 2005 M.S., Ecology, Colorado State University 2014 DISSERTATION Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy BIOLOGY The University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico July, 2019 ii FORTY YEARS OF CHANGE IN SOUTHWESTERN BEE ASSEMBLAGES by CATHERINE CUMBERLAND B.A., Biology B.A., Environmental Studies M.S., Ecology Ph.D., Biology ABSTRACT Changes in a regional bee assemblage were investigated by repeating a 1970s study from the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • An Inventory of Native Bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes)
    An Inventory of Native Bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming BY David J. Drons A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Major in Plant Science South Dakota State University 2012 ii An Inventory of Native Bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming This thesis is approved as a credible and independent investigation by a candidate for the Master of Plant Science degree and is acceptable for meeting the thesis requirements for this degree. Acceptance of this thesis does not imply that the conclusions reached by the candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department. __________________________________ Dr. Paul J. Johnson Thesis Advisor Date __________________________________ Dr. Doug Malo Assistant Plant Date Science Department Head iii Acknowledgements I (the author) would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Paul J. Johnson and my committee members Dr. Carter Johnson and Dr. Alyssa Gallant for their guidance. I would also like to thank the South Dakota Game Fish and Parks department for funding this important project through the State Wildlife Grants program (grant #T2-6-R-1, Study #2447), and Custer State Park assisting with housing during the field seasons. A special thank you to taxonomists who helped with bee identifications: Dr. Terry Griswold, Jonathan Koch, and others from the USDA Logan bee lab; Karen Witherhill of the Sivelletta lab at the University of New Mexico; Dr. Laurence Packer, Shelia Dumesh, and Nicholai de Silva from York University; Rita Velez from South Dakota State University, and Jelle Devalez a visiting scientist at the US Geological Survey.
    [Show full text]
  • PLANTS AS INDICATORS of LEAFCUTTER BEE 1 6 (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE) NEST HABITAT in 2 7 COASTAL DUNES 3 8 9 David M
    PAN-PACIFIC ENTOMOLOGIST VOL. 76(4): 219-233, 2000 GORDON: PLANTS INDICATE BEE NEST HABITAT PLANTS AS INDICATORS OF LEAFCUTTER BEE 1 6 (HYMENOPTERA: MEGACHILIDAE) NEST HABITAT IN 2 7 COASTAL DUNES 3 8 9 David M. Gordon 10 Division of Mathematics and Sciences, Kentucky State University, 11 Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 12 13 Abstract. -- To conserve native plants, pollinators and their nesting 14 habitats must also be protected. Indicator plants for nesting sites of the 15 native leafcutter bee Megachile wheeleri Mitchell were characterized within 16 a Northern California coastal dunes preserve. Nesting was restricted to the 17 Poa-Lathyrus plant community. Significant positive associations were 18 detected between bee nests and Aira praecox L., A. caryophyllea L., 19 Solidago spathulata DC., Juncus lesueurii Bolander, and mosses; negative 20 associations with Carex obnupta L. Bailey and Lathyrus littoralis (Nuttall) 21 Endlicher. Nest density and total plant cover were not significantly 22 correlated. Nests were generally not constructed near the bee’s host plants. 23 Most nesting occurred in a zone transitional between mesic lowlands and 24 xeric higher elevations. Natural successional change was increasing nesting 25 habitat, but climax shore pine-spruce forest should eventually eliminate 26 nesting habitat in the long term if succession is not disturbed. The 27 introduced plants Lupinus arboreus Sims and Ammophila arenaria L. may 28 eliminate nest habitat, but Aira praecox L. and A. caryophyllea L. may 29 enhance it. Other bee and wasp species were present in samples but no 30 significant associations with plants were detected because densities were so 31 low.
    [Show full text]
  • The Conservation Value of Woody Debris for Cavity-Nesting Bees On
    The conservation value of woody debris for cavity-nesting bees on Boulder County Open Space Final Report Adrian L. Carper and M. Deane Bowers Contact info: Dr. Adrian L. Carper Postdoctoral Research Associate Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology UCB 334, University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309 Phone: (336) 953-4406 Email: [email protected] www.adriancarper.com Dr. M. Deane Bowers Chair and Professor Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Curator, CU Museum Entomology Section UCB 334, University of Colorado Boulder, CO 80309 Phone: (303) 492-5530 Email: [email protected] http://www.bowerslab.org http://ebio.colorado.edu http://cumuseum.colorado.edu/research/entomology Date Submitted: 9th December 2017 Abstract Woody debris creates habitat for a number of animals including many of Boulder County’s native pollinators. Cavity-nesting bees use holes created by other insects in trees and logs to nest in and provision pollen for their offspring; however little is known about the value of woody debris as habitat for bees on Boulder County Open Spaces, much less, if woody debris management practices are impacting the bee community. The goal of this study was to evaluate the conservation value of woody debris on 12 different Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOS) riparian properties along the St. Vrain River. To do so, we estimated the quantity and quality of woody debris as bee nesting habitat at 23 sites, sampled the abundance and diversity of bees in each site, and investigated the relationships between woody debris and bee community dynamics using linear mixed modeling. Between May and September 2016, we sampled each site 6 times, using hand-netting to collect wild foraging bees and monitored two trap nests specifically for cavity-nesting bees.
    [Show full text]
  • An Abstract of the Dissertation Of
    AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Lauren Ashley Smith DiCarlo for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Wildlife Science on June 1, 2018 Title: Native Bee and Spider Community Responses to Grassland Restoration and Wildfire Abstract approved: ______________________________________________________ Sandra J. DeBano Up to 99.9% of native North American grasslands have been degraded since European settlement, primarily due to agricultural conversion. Today, grasslands are a top priority for restoration as they provide essential habitat for many rare and endangered species; however, the majority of studies in grasslands have focused on vegetation or vertebrate responses to restoration while largely neglecting invertebrates. Grassland invertebrates are highly diverse and provide important ecosystem services such as pollination, nutrient cycling, food for vertebrates, and pest control. This dissertation seeks to understand the structure of spider and native bee communities within arid bunchgrass prairies and determine how grassland restoration and wildfire impact these beneficial invertebrates. In Chapter 2, I focus on spider communities in a low-elevation, arid Pacific Northwest bunchgrass prairie and compare degraded, native, and restored sites to examine how spider communities and habitat respond to arid grassland restoration. Spider communities responded strongly to invasive annual grass, litter, and biological soil crust cover. Native sites differed from those in restored and degraded sites by community composition and abundance, with fewer spiders found in native sites than degraded and restored sites. However, native and restored sites had more species than degraded sites. I also examine how responses varied with the age of the restoration project. Chronosequence data showed trends for lower abundance, higher species richness, and changing community composition as restoration projects mature.
    [Show full text]
  • June, 2017) the Bees of British Columbia (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apiformes
    Draft list – in prep. (June, 2017) The Bees of British Columbia (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Apiformes) Cory S. Sheffield1 and Jennifer M. Heron2 1 Royal Saskatchewan Museum, Regina, Saskatchewan 2 British Columbia Ministry of Environment, 2975 Jutland Road, Victoria, Britsh Columbia V6T 1Z1 FAMILY COLLETIDAE Subfamily Colletinae Tribe Colletini Colletes Latreille, 1802 Colletes compactus Cresson, 1868 Colletes consors Cresson, 1868 Colletes fulgidus Swenk, 1904 Colletes gypsicolens Cockerell, 1897 Colletes hyalinus Provancher, 1888 Colletes impunctatus lacustris Swenk, 1906 Colletes kincaidii Cockerell, 1898 Colletes mandibularis Smith, 1853 Colletes phaceliae Cockerell, 1906 Colletes simulans Cresson, 1868 Colletes slevini Cockerell, 1925 Subfamily Hylaeinae Hylaeus Fabricius, 1793 Subgenus Cephalylaeus Michener, 1942 Hylaeus basalis (Smith, 1853) Subgenus Hylaeus Fabricius, 1793 Hylaeus annulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) Hylaeus leptocephalus (Morawitz, 1871[1870]) Hylaeus mesillae (Cockerell, 1896) Hylaeus rudbeckiae (Cockerell & Casad, 1895) Hylaeus verticalis (Cresson, 1869) Subgenus Paraprosopis Popov, 1939 Hylaeus coloradensis (Cockerell, 1896) Hylaeus nevadensis (Cockerell, 1896) Hylaeus wootoni (Cockerell, 1896) Subgenus Prosopis Fabricius, 1804 Hylaeus affinis (Smith, 1853) Hylaeus episcopalis (Cockerell, 1896) Hylaeus modestus Say, 1837 FAMILY ANDRENIDAE Subfamily Andreninae Andrena Fabricius, 1775 1 Subgenus Andrena Fabricius, 1775 Andrena aculeata LaBerge, 1980 Andrena buckelli Viereck, 1924 Andrena ceanothifloris Linsley, 1938 Andrena
    [Show full text]
  • OSU Extension Service Awards January 2020 Gardening to All Three Winners of Ask an Expert Save the World Awards at OSU Extension This Year Are TM Bee People
    A Publication of the Oregon Master GardenersTM Association in Cooperation with OSU Extension ServiceTM OSU Extension Service Awards January 2020 Gardening to All three winners of Ask an Expert Save the World awards at OSU Extension this year are TM bee people. (Left to right) Anna Ashby is one of two Master Level Oregon Master Beekeepers, Andony Melathopoulos is program lead for OSU’s Pollinator Health Program and Michael O’Loughlin is on the Advisory Committee of the Oregon From the Past President’s Bee Project and Oregon Bee Atlas (and a 2 Desk................................ might good melittologist too). “Ask an Expert” is a service of the Cooperative From the President’s Desk 4 Extension Service and provides timely answers to all of your questions online. Mini-College Update........... 5 Megachile Bees from Port- 6 Congratulations to Rich Little who was awarded the prestigious OSUEA land-area Gardens............. Cooperators Award. For greater than 10 years, Rich has not only taught Multnomah County Demo hundreds of us on mason bee culture and native bee curation and identifi- 9 Garden Dry Farm Trial........ cation, he also served on the 2015 Legislative Task Force on Pollinator Health and started BEEvent (as a How To Read Seed Packets 10 Linn County MG), the biggest Landscape Design: Ten Im- 11 annual pollinator conference in the portant Things to Consider. PNW. Somehow, he has also been Flies as Pollinators............. 12 able to teach dozens of entomolo- Winter Delights! Shade Lov- gy courses for OSU MG Program 13 and volunteer at the Oregon State ing Camelias..................... Anthropod Collection.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of the Leafcutter Bees and Chemical Ecology of Bee-Flower Relationships
    Phylogenetics as a tool for evolutionary studies: evolution of the leafcutter bees and chemical ecology of bee-flower relationships Dissertation submitted to the University of Neuchatel by Vincent Trunz Thesis committee Dr. Christophe Praz (co-director) Prof. Sergio Rasmann (co-director) Dr. Betty Benrey Prof. Denis Michez Dr. Mathieu Perret Thesis defended on th 26 June 2017 IMPRIMATUR POUR THESE DE DOCTORAT La Faculté des sciences de l'Université de Neuchâtel autorise l'impression de la présente thèse soutenue par Monsieur Vincent TRUNZ Titre: “Phylogenetics as a tool for evolutionary studies: evolution of leafcutter bees and chemical ecology of bee-flower relationships” sur le rapport des membres du jury composé comme suit: Dr Christophe Praz, co-directeur de thèse, UniNE Prof. ass. Sergio Rasmann, co-directeur de thèse, UniNE MER Betty Benrey, UniNE Prof. ass. Denis Michez, Université de Mons, Belgique Dr Mathieu Perret, Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques, Genève Neuchâtel, le 21 août 2017 Le Doyen, Prof. R. Bshary Remerciements Une thèse de doctorat ressemble probablement pour tous ceux qui s’y frottent à l’ascension d’une montagne. Pour moi cette montagne était l’équivalent de l’Everest, et j’avais besoin d’un guide. Mon superviseur de thèse, Christophe Praz, a joué ce rôle de tout son cœur, et je ne saurais le remercier assez de m’avoir mené là où moi-même je ne pensais pas pouvoir arriver. Il y a de nombreuses personnes qui m’ont aussi aidé tout au long du chemin, parfois en travaillant avec moi sur certains points de ma thèse. Un immense merci à vous en particulier, Dimitri Bénon, Anne-Marie Labouche et Romain Piault.
    [Show full text]
  • A Comparison of Bee Fauna in Two Northern California Coastal
    A COMPARISON OF BEE FAUNA IN TWO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL DUNE SYSTEMS By Laura Snyder Julian A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of Humboldt State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science in Natural Resources: Biology Committee Membership Dr. Michael R. Mesler, Committee Chair Dr. Erik S. Jules, Committee Member Dr. Frank J. Shaughnessy, Committee Member Dr. Mahesh Rao, Committee Member Dr. Michael R. Mesler, Graduate Coordinator December, 2012 ABSTRACT COMPARISON OF BEE FAUNA IN TWO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COASTAL DUNE SYSTEMS Laura Snyder Julian Baseline information is needed to protect pollinators in at-risk ecosystems. One such system, Tolowa Dunes (Crescent City, California), in northern California, is undergoing habitat fragmentation caused by an introduced, invasive plant, Ammophila arenaria . My study had two purposes: 1) to gather baseline data on the bee fauna at Tolowa, and 2) to explore possible relationships between bee fauna and available floral and nest resources in Northern California coastal dune systems. In particular, I assessed whether the presence of invasive non-native plants such as A. arenaria affected the bee fauna at Tolowa. Surveys were conducted at Tolowa from March through August 2007 to establish baseline information about the bee community, floral abundance, floral visitation, and bee nest substrate. Vegetation cover, determined from existing data, was used to explore the relationship between bee fauna and landscape at three spatial scales (100 m, 250 m and 1,050 m). Using existing data from previous studies, I compared the bee fauna I found at Tolowa to that of two other Northern California coastal dune ecosystems: the North Spit of Humboldt Bay (near Eureka, California) and Bodega Head (Bodega Marine Research Station at Bodega Bay, California).
    [Show full text]