Winners and losers: investigating differential success of native pollinators subject to multiple environmental stressors

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My research program aims to investigate various aspects of behavioural ecology, population dynamics and inter-species interactions to understand why some species remain common while co-occurring species are deemed at-risk of extinction. Despite intensive government, NGO and public focus on the conservation of native bees in North America, there are still very basic ecological research questions to answer to effectively conserve declining species. These include questions about dispersal ability, foraging ranges, nest densities, nutritional requirements, disease susceptibility, among others. Over the next five years, my research program aims to use field work, laboratory experiments, historical data and ongoing citizen science data-capture to investigate ecologically-relevant differences among Canadian bumblebee species. These projects build on my previous research over the past decade which assessed status in the wild and identified threats to our native bumblebee species. Using bumblebee boxes in the wild and lab-reared colonies in the field, I will use a variety of methods to quantify nest density, foraging ranges and dispersal distances for both common and declining species. Understanding differences in foraging distances between species in a controlled area will indicate whether one or more have a competitive advantage over other co-occurring species as well as inform management questions such as required size of protected areas, distance required from point sources of pollution and/or disease. Using lab-reared colonies, I will investigate effects of parasites, pesticides, nutritional quality and consider combinations to identify synergistic effects. Effects will be quantified using micro-colonies of queenless workers from common and declining species. Ovary development, feeding and life span will be measured. Behavioural experiments will also be used to look at foraging efficiency and cumulative impacts of sub-lethal effects. These studies build on my previous laboratory-based research looking at the effects of parasites on foraging behaviour and feeding experiments performed on micro-colonies.This research program will add to our basic understanding of ecological requirements, population dynamics and habitat use for native bumble bee species but also have implications in understanding differential responses to stressors by co-occurring species. Conservation management requires a much better understanding of these inter-specific differences with respect to vulnerability, ecological needs and behaviour. Thus, results from these research projects and broader research program will be critical for future conservation planning for native species, especially under scenarios of climate change, increased disease outbreaks and human population growth.