Results of MRes - the primary determinant of pollinator presence in gardens

I looked at a variety of structural and botanical characteristics of gardens, including their size, habitat composition, location, management, use and plant diversity.

Contrary to the findings of other studies on bumblebees and other insects*, there was no relationship between garden size and the number or diversity of pollinators visiting a garden. In fact, one of the small gardens I sampled contained the second highest abundance of pollinators in the whole study, as shown below.

The most important variables were plant abundance and diversity. Even in the smallest gardens, the right composition of plants made them hotspots for biodiversity. Based on the diversity of plants found in the study it is possible that gardens in Lewes are functioning not only as self-contained habitats capable of supporting pollinators independently, but also as ecological corridors, allowing pollinators to move through the landscape.

(Small solitary bees <8mm, large solitary bees >8mm)

References:

MURATET, A. & FONTAINE, B. 2015.Contrasting impacts of pesticides on butterflies and bumblebees in privategardens in France. Biological Conservation, 182, 148-154.

MATTESON, K. C., ASCHER, J. S. &LANGELLOTTO, G. A. 2008. Bee richness and abundance in New York city urbangardens. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 101, 140-150.

DAVIES, Z. G., FULLER, R. A., LORAM, A.,IRVINE, K. N., SIMS, V. & GASTON, K. J. 2009. A national scale inventory ofresource provision for biodiversity within domestic gardens. BiologicalConservation, 142, 761-771.