Notes on the nesting of three species of Megachilinae in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, UAE

Gess, Sarah K.; Roosenschoon, Peter Alexander

doi:10.3897/jhr.54.11290

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although some studies have found that species nesting in small cavities are more abundant in urban than nearby natural areas (Cane et al, 2 005), ground‐nesting bees are generally more abundant and species rich than cavity‐nesting species in urban areas (Supplementary Materials S1), although slightly less than the estimated global level of 83% (Harmon‐Threatt, 2020). This difference may indicate cavity‐nesting bees can capitalise on the novel substrates present in urban areas (Gess & Roosenschoon, 2017; MacIvor & Moore, 2013; Prendergast, 2019) (Figure 6).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global review of determinants of native bee assemblages in urbanised landscapes

Prendergast

Dixon

Bateman

2022

Insect Conserv Diversity

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Loss of natural habitat through land‐use change threatens bees. Urbanisation is a major, increasing form, of habitat loss, and a novel, pervasive form of disturbance known to impact bee diversity and abundance in a variety of often inconsistent ways. We conducted a comprehensive, semi‐quantitative review, involving 215 studies, on responses of bees to urban landscapes, and local and landscape variables proposed to influence bee abundance and diversity. Urban areas tend to be favourable habitat for bees compared with agricultural ones, but compared with natural areas, urban areas often host more abundant populations yet fewer species. Factors associated with urban landscapes, including changes in foraging resources and nesting substrate types and availability, contribute to changes in abundance, species richness, and composition of native bee assemblages. However, the conclusions of studies vary greatly because of the difference in the ecological traits of bees, habitats surveyed, and geographic region, as well as noise in the data resulting from inconsistencies in sampling methodology, and definitions of ‘urban’ and ‘natural’. Identifying what biotic and abiotic features of cityscapes promote or threaten the persistence of urban bee diversity is critical. We provide a comprehensive evaluation of how bees (both in aggregate and according to their ecological guild) have responded to the urban environment, identify gaps in knowledge in urban bee ecology, and make recommendations to advance our understanding of bees in urban environments to promote conservation of diverse bee communities.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A global review of determinants of native bee assemblages in urbanised landscapes

Prendergast

Dixon

Bateman

2022

Insect Conserv Diversity

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…(MacIvor, ). Recent studies in eastern Canada (MacIvor & Moore, ) and Dubai (Gess & Roosenschoon, ) have found plastic fragments being used in place of large leaf fragments to close individual brood cells. Although these behaviours might be incidental, these findings indirectly suggest that the bees might be limited by the abundance of broadleaf plants in those localities.…”

Section: Conservation Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Foraging preferences of leafcutter bees in three contrasting geographical zones

Sinu

Bronstein

2018

Diversity and Distributions

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim: Leafcutter bees use plants as pollen and nectar sources, but also cut leaf discs and use them to line their nests. Which plant species they choose as nesting material and why they do so have remained obscure. We asked the following: (1) How are the plant species used by leafcutter bees distributed phylogenetically? (2) Does plant choice differ across geographical regions, and if so, in what ways? (3) Are the leaf plant species natives or exotics? (4) What plant and leaf traits predict selection of plant species by leafcutter bees? And (5) Does the abundance of individuals per species in the habitat influence leafcutter bees' plant preferences? Location: Tropical South Asia, temperate eastern Canada and US Sonoran Desert Methods: We mapped taxa known to be used by leafcutter bees both from our own study and published literature onto the most recent angiosperm phylogeny. To determine what plant and leaf traits predict leaf selection, we monitored 6,120 individuals of 214 native and exotic plant species planted in a 3-sq. km. arboretum in Arizona and recorded leaf damage inflicted by bees.Results: Megachile showed a strong preference for species in the rosid clade, particularly the phylogenetic cluster of Fabales, Fagales and Rosales. Thirty-two to forty-five percentage of the leaf plant species were exotic to a given region. Membership in the rosid clade and Fabaceae family predicted plant preference, whereas the plant species' local abundance and geographical origin did not. Leaf water content, morphotype and the presence of latex were important factors influencing plant choice, whereas leaf shape and size did not. Main conclusion:These patterns point to plant groups whose availability should be monitored to assure persistence of leafcutter bees. Their preference for specific globally distributed plant clades, yet ability to readily adopt certain exotic plant species as nest resources, likely augments their ability to persist. K E Y W O R D Santimicrobial, biogeography, distribution, diversity, evolution, herbivory, leafcutter bee, Megachile, Megachilidae, pollinator, urban ecosystem

show abstract

“…By incorporating material readily available from the surrounding environment with resin, such material functions as a filler with resin as the binding agent in a resin aggregate. For example, some megachilids living in deserts, such as Pseudoheriades grandiceps Peters (Megachilidae: Osmiini) and Megachile ( Maximegachile ) maxillosa Guérin‐Méneville (Megachilidae: Megachilini), use sand as an aggregate material for mixing with resin (Gess & Roosenschoon, 2017).…”

Section: Resin In Nest Structuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional resin use in solitary bees

Chui

Keller

Leonhardt

2021

Ecological Entomology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Overall, more than 30% of bee species depend on non‐floral resources, such as resin. However, the importance of resin in bee ecology, particularly for solitary bees, has received very little attention thus far. 2. A plethora of loose natural history observations, inferences, and author opinions hint towards a striking range of uses of resin for nesting by bees. In this review, we focus on resin use in solitary bees and identify extant knowledge, knowledge gaps, and future research directions with regard to the functional use of resin in bee nesting biology. 3. Resin use in solitary bee nests can be broadly grouped by functional roles for nest structure, chemical camouflage, defence, moisture regulation, and anti‐microbial properties. We point out that resin usage appears to be constrained by environmental and physiological factors. Bee species‐specific tolerances for resin toxicity and resin availability in the environment seem to determine resin choices and subsequently functional usage in nests. We finally highlight that resin may play a major role in determining the ambient nest microbiota, due to its strong antimicrobial properties. We conclude that a better mechanistic understanding of resin use in bee nesting biology can aid in assessing species range shifts in light of global change.

show abstract

Notes on the nesting of three species of Megachilinae in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, UAE

Cited by 5 publications

References 14 publications

A global review of determinants of native bee assemblages in urbanised landscapes

A global review of determinants of native bee assemblages in urbanised landscapes

Foraging preferences of leafcutter bees in three contrasting geographical zones

Functional resin use in solitary bees

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About