Abstract

This dissertation investigates the impact of honeybee introductions on native bee populations, evaluates the efficiency of traditional bee sampling and monitoring methods, and explores the use of drone technology for assessing floral resources on federal lands in the United States. Federal lands, managed for multiple uses, present a valuable opportunity for the summer pasturing of honeybees. These lands produce vast floral resources and are largely free from pesticides and other pollutants that could weaken honeybee populations. The potential use of this resource is significant given the economic and agricultural concerns presented by declining pollinator trends and Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). While many studies suggest honeybees may disrupt native bee communities, they often rely on indirect indicators such as resource overlap, floral visitation rates, alterations to foraging behavior, or small-scale lab-based experiments. These studies fail to experimentally test broad impacts on native communities at a landscape scale. Those that have attempted direct experimentally based assessment of honeybee impact have found mixed results or have limitations due to biased or insufficient sampling methods. This dissertation aims to experimentally test whether current recommendations to land managers are sufficient or overly conservative by assessing the population-level impacts of honeybee introductions on native bee communities. Bee sampling and population monitoring are crucial to adaptive land management strategies and necessary to assess short- and long-term trends in the face of disruptions, if land managers implement new uses, they will need tools to help accurately assess community level change. Lastly, understanding the availability and distribution of floral resources important to bees is critical for proper land management when it comes to bees and other pollinators. Floral resource availability varies both spatially and temporally. We assess the utility of drones (sUAS) as landscape level tools for rapid evaluation of floral resources critical to pollinators. Through comprehensive field studies and advanced technological applications, this research provides valuable insights for sustainable pollinator management on public lands.

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Life Sciences; Plant and Wildlife Sciences

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2024-07-30

Document Type

Dissertation

Keywords

pollinators, public lands, bumblebees, introduced species, agriculture, Colony Collapse Disorder, pan traps, malaise traps, sUAS, remote sensing, floral cover, abundance, richness, diversity, population dynamics

Language

english

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