changing bee and hoverfly pollinator assemblages along an urban-rural gradient改变蜜蜂和食蚜蝇授粉组合在一个城乡梯度.pdfVIP

Changing Bee and Hoverfly Pollinator Assemblages along an Urban-Rural Gradient 1 1 1 2 1 1 Adam J. Bates *, Jon P. Sadler , Alison J. Fairbrass , Steven J. Falk , James D. Hale , Tom J. Matthews 1 Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom, 2 Warwickshire Museum, Warwick, Warwickshire, United Kingdom Abstract Background: The potential for reduced pollination ecosystem service due to global declines of bees and other pollinators is cause for considerable concern. Habitat degradation, destruction and fragmentation due to agricultural intensification have historically been the main causes of this pollinator decline. However, despite increasing and accelerating levels of global urbanization, very little research has investigated the effects of urbanization on pollinator assemblages. We assessed changes in the diversity, abundance and species composition of bee and hoverfly pollinator assemblages in urban, suburban, and rural sites across a UK city. Methodology/Principal Findings: Bees and hoverflies were trapped and netted at 24 sites of similar habitat character (churchyards and cemeteries) that varied in position along a gradient of urbanization. Local habitat quality (altitude, shelter from wind, diversity and abundance of flowers), and the broader-scale degree of urbanization (e.g. percentage of built landscape and gardens within 100 m, 250 m, 500 m, 1 km, and 2.5 km of the site) were assessed for each study site. The diversity and abundance of pollinators were both significantly negatively associated with higher levels of urbanization.