Research

Undergraduate research: Richness and abundance patterns of wild bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in an ecodiversity hotspot

ABSTRACT

"Native bee communities (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) are responsive to floral/nesting resource availability and thrive in biodiversity hotspots, yet there have been few investigations of Anthophila community dynamics in fine-scale, contrived hotspots of ecological diversity. The South Carolina Botanical Garden's Natural Heritage Garden (Clemson, SC) encompasses ≈1.3 km² and comprises simulated floristic communities representing the 5 EPA Level 3 ecoregions found within the state. To gauge the effect of habitat microreplication, Anthophila diversity, richness, and abundance were measured using tricolor pan trap arrays in 3 plots per micro-ecoregion site (15 plots total) from March to August of 2019. Genus-level analysis revealed significant differences in native bee richness and abundance among the sites. The results indicate the potential for fine-scale, contrived habitats, regionally endemic or otherwise, to support regional Anthophila diversity while nurturing species’ assemblages that are adapted to or restricted to disparate ecoregions."

EXAMPLE PAN TRAP CATCHES