Does Habitat Fragmentation impact the species assemblage of pollinators in relict Heathlands across a UK city?

低地石楠是一种以矮灌木石楠群落为特征的古老景观。这些重要的生态系统创造了复杂的马赛克栖息地，支持昆虫的宝贵组合。希思兰是英国生物多样性行动计划（BAP）的优先栖息地名单（JNCC，2007）。农业集约化和城市化使这片曾经富饶的土地减少到1800年英格兰总面积的16%（英国自然，2002年）。尽管在西米德兰兹郡进行了大量的城市化，但伯明翰和黑人国家仍然保留着总计500公顷的石南荒原碎片（Trueman等人，2013).研究人员一致认为，传粉媒介的减少是全球关注的一个原因，值得进一步研究（Winfree等人，2009; Bates等人，2011）。自1900年以来，英国已经失去了14种蜜蜂，还有35种蜜蜂面临灭绝的风险（Goulson，2019）。虽然有几项研究强调了城市地区支持昆虫种群的价值（例如，Bates等人，2011;巴尔多克等人，二〇一五年; Hall et al，2016），以及残遗石南地对于维持该地区稀有传粉者的多样集合种群的重要性（Falk，1996; Falk and Lane，1999; Falk，2010），没有研究（迄今为止）关注城市化对残遗石南地传粉者组合的影响。这项研究是有价值的，因为碎片化石南地的再生可以支持城市传粉者。这将为连接整个地区低地荒原的孤立地区提供管理建议。我们希望证明有必要再生和扩大整个西米德兰兹郡的残遗石南地区，作为昆虫减少的可行解决方案。该项目将研究（一）城市化对传粉者多样性的影响，在遗迹石楠和测试是否（二）物种多样性较低的石楠碎片化地区相比，连接的地区。它将评估（iii）石南的地理扩张对传粉者多样性的影响，以及（iv）量化独居刺鼠筑巢聚集体的栖息地条件（蜜蜂和黄蜂）。该项目提供了机会，让景观管理和自然保护领域的当地利益相关者了解如何为脆弱的昆虫物种再生低地荒原地区，同时为研究伙伴关系提供与当地居民合作的外联机会。DR将与一个多学科的学者团队（景观生态学家，昆虫生物学家和自然资源保护主义者）以及一名经验丰富的无人机操作员合作，捕捉目标地区石楠地的高分辨率航空图像。该无人机将以300 dpi的分辨率拍摄2000万像素的图像，显示城市荒地的植被覆盖范围和裸露的土地。该项目将提供一系列技能培训，以便为该区域建立一个传粉媒介数据库，更新和刷新目标地区现有的物种知识。这将涉及利用公民科学积累的地理位置和物种组合的重要筑巢聚集在整个西米德兰兹郡的数据。

Lowland Heath is a form of ancient landscape characterised by dwarf shrub heather communities. These important ecosystems create complex mosaic habitats that support valuable assemblages of insects. Heathland is on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) list of priority habitats (JNCC, 2007). Agricultural intensification and urbanisation have reduced this once prolific landscape to 16% of the total area of England which it occupied in 1800 (English Nature, 2002). Despite substantial urbanisation within the West Midlands, fragmented patches of heathland totaling 500 ha still remain in Birmingham and the Black Country (Trueman et al., 2013).Researchers agree that the decline of pollinators is a cause for global concern that warrants further research (Winfree et al., 2009; Bates et al. 2011). The UK has lost 14 bee species since 1900 with a further 35 species at risk of extinction (Goulson, 2019). Although several studies have highlighted the value of urban areas to support insect populations (e.g., Bates et al. 2011; Baldock et al., 2015; Hall et al, 2016), and the importance of relict heathlands for sustaining diverse metapopulations of rare pollinators in the region (Falk, 1996; Falk and Lane, 1999; Falk, 2010), no study (to date) has focused on the impacts of urbanisation on pollinator assemblages in relict heathlands.This research is valuable, as the regeneration of fragmented heathlands could support urban pollinators. This will inform management recommendations for connecting isolated areas of lowland heath across the region. We hope to demonstrate the need to regenerate and expand areas of relict heathland across the West Midlands, as a viable solution to insect decline. This project will examine (i) the impact of urbanisation on pollinator diversity in relic heathlands and test whether (ii) species diversity is lower in fragmented areas of heathland, compared to connected areas. It will assess (iii) the impact of geographical expansion of heathland on pollinator diversity and (iv) quantify the habitat conditions for nesting aggregates for solitary aculeates (bees & wasps).This project provides opportunities to inform local stakeholders in the fields of landscape management and nature conservation how to regenerate areas of lowland heath for vulnerable insect species, while providing outreach opportunities for the research partnership to work with local residents. The DR will work with a multidisciplinary team of academics (landscape ecologists, insect biologists and conservationists), as well as an experienced drone operator to capture high resolution aerial images of heathland sites across the target area. The drone will produce 20 megapixel images at 300 dpi, showing the extent of vegetation coverage and bare earth in urban heathlands. This project will provide training in a range of skills to develop a pollinator database for the region, updating and refreshing current knowledge of species in the target area. This will involve utilizing citizen science to accumulate data on the geographical locations and species assemblages of important nesting aggregations throughout the West Midlands conurbation.