The Effects of Climate on Bumble Bee Pollinator Community Composition and Genetic Diversity in the North Coast & Cascades Network
Project ID: P13AC00713
Federal Agency: National Park Service
Partner Institution: Washington State University
Fiscal Year: 2013
Initial Funding: $3,448
Total Funding: $3,448
Project Type: Research
Project Disciplines: Biological
National Park: North Coast and Cascades Network Inventory & Monitoring
Principal Investigator: Sheppard, Walter
Agreement Technical Representative: Freilich, Jerry
Abstract: Bumble bee pollinators provide invaluable ecosystem services to wild flowering plants. However, recent studies throughout the U.S. have documented range wide decline in bumble bee abundance and diversity. Bumble bee decline has been attributed to climate warming, pathogen outbreaks, and land-use change. In the wake of climate change, bumble bees are at high extinction risk considering their mostly alpine and temperate distribution. Recent surveys have documented changes in bumble bee abundance within some North Coast and Cascade Network (NCCN) Parks, including the disappearance of Bombus occidentalis from most of the Pacific Northwest. This is a collaborative study to provide information on the status of important pollinators; training on identification, surveying, and monitoring of bumble bees; and educational material for the public. Bumble bees will be surveyed at selected NCCN parks. This study will document the current status of bumble bee species, assist in determining why the most common species has suddenly vanished, and provide managers and the public with insights into the effects of climate change on these otherwise well-protected natural areas. Products from this project include a report suitable for posting on the North Coast & Cascades Science Learning Network website for public distribution.
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