![]() An analysis of 59 urban bee surveys found that urban areas tended to have lower diversity and abundance of bee species, particularly for ground nesters and floral specialists (Hernandez et al. 2003) and impervious surfaces (Arhné et al. On a landscape scale, bee biodiversity has been found to be negatively correlated with urban development (Dauber et al. Urbanization also degrades habitat for ground-nesting species by altering vegetation and increasing both soil compaction and impervious cover (Cane et al. For instance, fallen wood and leaves are often removed in urban landscapes for aesthetic reasons, eliminating potential habitat for insects of all kinds (Steffan-Dewenter and Leschke 2003 McFrederick and LeBuhn 2006). Many pollinators also have specific shelter or nesting requirements that are more difficult to meet in an urban setting, particularly for species that require deadwood, leaf litter, or other natural materials (Fortel et al. However, while conservation efforts often focus on floral resource provisioning, bee communities are also dependent on availability of diverse nesting resources (Potts et al. Urban gardens and other green spaces may provide food resources for native bees and other insect pollinators, particularly as the popularity of urban agriculture and “pollinator gardens” are increasing (Paweleck et al. Raising awareness about the importance of these services through education and restoration efforts is an opportunity to both connect people to the natural environment and also support the native pollinator populations (Matteson et al. However, people living in urban areas are dependent on local biodiversity due to its generation of ecosystem services, such as pollination, but are often unaware of the importance of these services or how they might be occurring in urban areas. Urban areas often are thought of as ecological deserts with low biodiversity. 2015) and to support pollination services, including habitat restoration and/or augmentation. Thus, finding ways to support native bees and other insect pollinators is important for preservation of biodiversity (Lowenstein et al. Further cause for declines includes populations of non-native European honeybees ( Apis mellifera), which are out-competing native bees, pushing them out of their native habitats (Thompson 2016). Nosema bombi) and low genetic diversity due to habitat fragmentation and destruction (Cameron et al. In North America, native bee populations are in decline due to introduced pathogens (e.g. community gardens) (USEPA 2015 Bennett and Lovell 2019), and a large proportion of plants grown in urban gardens are dependent on bee pollinators to set fruit (Matteson and Langellotto 2009).ĭeclines in insect pollinator populations have been documented worldwide, including urban areas (Potts et al. Additionally, urban agriculture is becoming increasingly popular in various forms (e.g. As cities recognize the importance of sustainable and biodiverse green spaces within the urban landscape, these services become more important, particularly when planning urban parks and gardens (USEPA 2015). Habitats for pollinators may be degraded or non-existent in urban settings, and may need to be augmented in order to support effective population sizes for pollinator services. ![]() ![]() Pollinators are also important drivers of the biodiversity of ecosystems, as their presence is essential for the genetic flow that establishes future generations of flowering plants. Pollination, which falls into the “supporting” category of ecosystem services, provides essential functions for many plants that rely on animals for dispersal of their pollen (Elmqvist et al. However, a wide variety of insects, birds, and mammals pollinate both natural and cultivated plants. When asked to imagine a pollinator, most people probably picture a honey bee buzzing from flower to flower.
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