The Bees of Two Sites in the Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas, with a Consideration of the Effects of a Rare Flooding Event

<p>Native bees are an important part of terrestrial ecosystems due to their coevolution with flowering plants. This study catalogued the bee fauna of two sandyland sites in the Big Thicket National Preserve and assessed whether a community was impacted by a historic hurricane-induced flooding event. It was hypothesized that a change in diversity metrics would be evident following the flood. Datasets were analyzed for differences in species richness, abundance, evenness, and Shannon’s diversity. Similarities between datasets were also assessed using the multivariate tests analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) and similarity of percentages (SIMPER). At two sites over two years of sampling 100 species were documented. Though some species declined dramatically following the storm, it was concluded that the overall bee community did not suffer a substantial decline. Differences detected between datasets constructed from samples taken before and after the flood were mostly attributed to ground nesting bees.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science - Biology

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Sauls, Archie Ray, Jr.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Daniel J. Bennett
• D. Brent Burt
• Donald Pratt

• Hymenoptera
• Apoidea
• Hurricane
• Biodiversity
• Biology
• Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Entomology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/364

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.sfasu.edu:etds-1416