Translating research into action; bumblebee conservation as a case study

Abstract

First paragraph: Bumblebees belong to the genus Bombus, which comprises about 250 species, largely confined to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. They are wholly dependent on flowers for their energetic and developmental requirements. Most are social species, with nest sizes varying from 50 to 400 workers. As such, they have attracted considerable attention regarding their role as pollinators. There is a growing body of evidence that bumblebees have declined in Europe, North America and Asia in recent decades because of multiple causes probably including habitat loss, impacts of pesticides, competition from non- native species and the introduction of non-native diseases (Goulson, Lye & Darvill 2008a; Williams & Osborne 2009). Recent health problems affecting honeybees and a perception that other pollinators may be declining has led to serious concern that we might be facing a global ‘pollination crisis' affecting pollination of crops and wildflowers (e.g. Aizen & Harder 200

The Abundance and Pollen Foraging Behaviour of Bumble Bees in Relation to Population Size of Whortleberry (Vaccinium uliginosum)

“…Thus, of all remaining fragments of Vaccinium uliginosum on the Plateau des Tailles, the smaller populations probably did not offer enough resources to support large numbers of bumble bees. This underpins the notion that bumble bees are especially prone to habitat fragmentation [47]. In spring, V. uliginosum is probably a crucial floral resource in the area, providing important nectar and pollen supplies.…”

“…Such knowledge is fundamental in restored sites to evaluate conservation efforts [62]. Our results illustrate that V. uliginosum provides important resources for bumble bee species that are suspected to be in decline [47]. The plant species itself might not be at immediate risk of extinction.…”

New Zealand Species Recovery Groups and their role in evidence‐based conservation

“…Goulson et al . ). In contrast, we found that only one respondent (DOC employee) had never read an academic paper about hihi.…”

“…Finally, in a twist on a statement made in an earlier practitioner's perspective (Goulson et al . ), we asked whether ‘publishing a scientific paper, no matter how good the science may be, does not in itself improve the fortunes of hihi’. The response was as the following: eight (47%) agreed, six (35%) disagreed and two were undecided.…”

Practitioner’s perspectives: introducing a different voice in applied ecology

“…This is certainly not what we want, but we do welcome examples of best practice that may not have made it into the wider academic literature. The first Practitioner's Perspective appears in this issue (Goulson et al 2011) and illustrates the viewpoint of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, although the lead author is a senior academic at Stirling University, UK. Hopefully, in addition to highlighting how science informs the conservation of bumblebees it will challenge readers to consider what more needs to be done.…”