Native bee phenology: Quantifying phenological niches of bees in the Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA

Presenting Author(s)

Jade Elijah McLaughlin

Albuquerque, NM, USA

Co-Author(s)

JR

Jennifer A. Rudgers

University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
AH

Alesia Hallmark

University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
MK

Melanie R. Kazenel

University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Understanding pollinator responses to climate change is increasingly important as we recognize how vital pollinators are to the global community. Our study quantifies the phenological niches of bees in order to evaluate the risks of climate change to the disruption of plant-pollinator networks. We analyzed data collected at the Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Program(LTER), where they have the world's longest continuously monitored bee community (2002 to present). This study has specimens collected monthly from February to October and has thus far resulted in the identification of over 300 species in the central New Mexico region. A monthly plant phenology dataset with species level resolution has been monitored concurrently with the bee data at the same location. By comparing plant and pollinator phenology with local climate data we ask the following questions: Do phenological niches change over time? Which biotic or abiotic factors influence phenological niches? How do phenological niches affect competition and coexistence? and Can we predict future species interactions? Preliminary analyses reveal unique variability in phenology among species with some indication that there could be phylogenetic relatioinships. We predict that precipitation will play a major role in bee seasonality due in part to the arid-land environments. Determining the phenological drivers of mutualist interactions could indicate if trophic asynchrony is occurring in the Chihuahuan Desert and its likelihood to occur in similar environmental regions around the world. Our results could influence understanding of pollinator seasonality and life histories, plant-pollinator mutualisms, and the management of potentially threatened species.