Project Grant 20236701241579

BUMBLE BEES ARE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT POLLINATORS FOR WILD PLANTS AND AGRICULTURAL CROP PRODUCTION, BUT ARE DECLINING GLOBALLY. BUMBLE BEE POPULATION DECLINES HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO SEVERAL INTERACTING STRESSORS, INCLUDING LAND-USE ALTERATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE. LITTLE RESEARCH HAS INVESTIGATED THE EXTENT TO WHICH THESE STRESSORS INTERACT TO ALTER BUMBLE BEE SPECIES DISTRIBUTIONS, HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS, AND HABITAT SUITABILITY. IMPACTS OF THESE STRESSORS ARE FURTHER EXACERBATED ON THREATENED/ENDANGERED SPECIES, REDUCING THE SPECIES' ABILITY TO SECURE LONG-TERM VIABILITY. THEREFORE, I PROPOSE TO 1) EVALUATE THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE AND LANDSCAPE STRUCTURE; 2) ASSESS SPECIES DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT SUITABILITY; AND 3) CONDUCT TARGETED SURVEYS IN AREAS WITH HIGH HABITAT SUITABILITY FOR TWO AT RISK SPECIES: RUSTY PATCHED AND YELLOW-BANDED BUMBLE BEES. I WILL ATTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF STRESSORS DRIVING BUMBLE BEE POPULATION SHIFTS AND PROVIDE A FOUNDATION FOR REINTRODUCING LABORATORY REARED COLONIES AS A CONSERVATION MITIGATION EFFORT TO ESTABLISH NEW POPULATIONS. THIS WILL GENERATE TANGIBLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO INFORM LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, CONSERVE DIVERSE POLLINATOR POPULATIONS, AND INCREASE POLLINATION SERVICES FOR LOCAL FOOD PRODUCTION.