Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Traits and Functional Diversity of a Hyperdiverse Bee Assemblage Are Linked to Aridity

Auteur : Turnley, Benjamin D.

Université de soutenance : University of New Mexico

Grade : Master of Science Biology 2022

Résumé
Climate change in the American Southwest is altering the composition of species assemblages. However, the resulting patterns in mean trait values and functional diversity are poorly understood. Bees assemblages in Southwestern drylands are exceptionally diverse, and vary greatly in their morphologic traits. In this study we focused on two questions : Have community-weighted mean trait values shifted over time and/or with aridity, consistent with the hypothesis that aridification is driving bee assemblage change ? Has the functional diversity of the Sevilleta bee assemblage declined over time and/or with aridity, consistent with the hypothesis that pollination services could be declining ? To address these questions, we utilized 16 years of abundance data for 33 focal bee species at the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (NM, USA), combined with measurements of a suite of morphological traits. Our results show that changes in aridity are associated with changes in the functional composition of a hyperdiverse bee assemblage.

Mots clés : Bees, Sevilleta, Functional Diversity, Aridity, Traits, Community-Weighted Mean

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