Widespread declines of pollinators are a major concern because of their potential effects on agricultural crops and on reproduction of plants in natural areas. Without pollination many species of plants will be in danger of extinction. Pollinators are especially threatened in landscapes dominated by agriculture. Nonetheless, some native species of bees are able to live in these landscapes and are likely to pollinate a large diversity of flowers. Perhaps they can compensate for the reduction of pollination services provided by non-native honey bees, whose populations are crashing. This EAGER project will survey native bee communities in agricultural landscapes of southern California. Researchers will census areas dominated by blueberry and tomato crops. The primary goal is to determine the environmental factors that best predict which pollinators occur in different areas and which morphological traits best predict their pollination effectiveness. This information will be valuable for conserving and managing populations of native bees to ensure that the pollination services they provide will be available for the greatest number of flowering plants.
This project will provide basic information about pollination, a critically important process in most agricultural crops. The lead investigator is at a four-year Hispanic Serving Institution and undergraduate students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science will be involved in data collection and mentored in field research, enhancing their educational and employment prospects.
