Landscape composition and configuration affect nest founding but not success of bumble bee colonies in agroecosystems in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada.

Landscape structure influenced by land-use is likely to affect pollinator demography. Using naturally colonized nest boxes placed at 27 sites in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, I assessed demographic responses of bumble bees to the availability of resources as inferred from landscape structure (i.e., landscape composition and configuration), and examined the spatial scale that best explained responses to the landscape. I used mixed model regression analysis to model the influence of semi-natural habitat, beneficial agriculture, suburban cover, and habitat edge density, all measured in six radii (250 m - 2500 m) around colonies, on nest founding and success of bumble bee colonies. Semi-natural habitat had no relationship with nest founding and colony success. Nest founding decreased in surroundings with more “beneficial agriculture” cover (i.e., mass flowering berry crops), however, nest founding increased at locations with more edge habitats. Higher amount of suburban cover decreased nest founding. Nest founding was best explained by the landscape at a 1500 m radius around the nest, however, there was no evidence of colony success responding to the landscape at any spatial scale. I conclude that beneficial agriculture and suburban cover had negative consequences for nest founding in bumble bee populations within my study landscape. Edge habitats seemed to attract more bumble bee queens to nest and may maintain bee populations while serving as sources of wild bumble bee pollinators, who might forage within nearby commercial blueberry crops to improve crop yield.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science (MSc)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biological Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Arts

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Kwafo, Richard

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Galpern, Paul
• Cartar, Ralph

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Vamosi, Jana
• Post, John

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/38805

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/113341