Urban bee functional groups response to landscape context in the Southeastern US

Abstract

We investigated the influence of landscape cover on urban bee community functional groups. We observed a diversity of functional groups across primarily forested and primarily urban sites, however particular species were favored by forest/urban spaces. Results point to the importance of further investigating the nuance of land use impacts on pollinator communities, and in particular demonstrates the merit of investigating landscape heterogeneity. Conservation of forest remnants in urban environments can positively impact wild bees across multiple functional groups.

Local factors influence the wild bee functional community at the urban-forest interface

“…Estimates from northeastern US suggest that roughly 32% of bee species are forest associated, and an additional 31% of bees are habitat generalists which may use forests in some capacity (Smith et al, 2021). While we do not have estimates of forest-associated species within the southeastern US, recent studies within the same geographical area (Athens-Clarke, Co., Georgia, USA) suggest that forest cover impacts bee diversity at small and large spatial scales (Janvier et al, 2022;Traylor et al, 2022;Braman et al, 2023). We were interested in further determining species and functional diversity at the urban-forest interface.…”

“…We did not find a significant relationship with bee community composition and size or seasonality. Several studies have found no difference in body size between forest types or with development (Fortuin and Gandhi, 2021;Braman et al, 2023). In a 2020 metaanalysis of functional traits in urban areas, body size again offered mix results where 8 studies found a positive relationship while others had none (Buchholz and Egerer, 2020).…”

“…Bees were designated to functional guilds. In the present study, we consider the following functional traits of wild bees per (Danforth et al, 2019;Fortuin and Gandhi, 2021;Braman et al, 2023;Brasil et al, 2023).…”

“…These characteristics describe morphological, physiological, and phenological traits that elucidate an organism's life history and infer its role in the environment (Violle et al, 2007). Wild bees occupy a diverse array of functional guilds encompassing nesting, sociality, diet breadth, size, and seasonality (Fortuin and Gandhi, 2021;Braman et al, 2023).…”