Date

4-2016

Project Type

URC Presentation

College or School

COLSA

Class Year

Junior

Department

Biological Sciences; Natural Resources and the Environment

Major

Wildlife and Conservation Biology

Faculty Research Advisor

Sandra Rehan

Second Faculty Research Advisor

Erika Tucker

Abstract

There has been recent concern about the widespread decline of native bees caused by human activity and its impacts on the environment. Bumblebees are native bees which provide many essential pollination services and whose populations have been showing significant decrease in both size and range. Many factors are thought to play a role in native pollinator loss, especially those related to agricultural land management such as habitat fragmentation, pesticide use, and reduction in food plant availability. Through records compiled from collected specimens, new data is available that can be used to determine the historical ranges, abundances, and habitat requirements for local bumblebee species. Examining the changes in a century and a half of bumblebee population records will reveal patterns and insight into their decline. Researching other significant events in New England agricultural and environmental history will provide reference points against which to overlay bumblebee population changes in the hopes of discovering possible key causes for their decline. This will aid in conservation efforts for these important native pollinators.

Rights

Bombus terricola- Tom Murray Bombus impatiens- Hadel Go Bombus fervidus- Richard Orr Bombus affinis- Johanna James-Heinz

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