Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows
Abstract Extensively managed and flower‐rich mountain hay meadows, hotspots of Europe's biodiversity, are subject to environmental and climatic gradients linked to altitude. While the shift of pollinators from bee‐ to fly‐dominated communities with increasing elevation across vegetation zones i...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7924 |
| _version_ | 1818597834541236224 |
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| author | Kevin Baumann Julia Keune Volkmar Wolters Frank Jauker |
| author_facet | Kevin Baumann Julia Keune Volkmar Wolters Frank Jauker |
| author_sort | Kevin Baumann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Extensively managed and flower‐rich mountain hay meadows, hotspots of Europe's biodiversity, are subject to environmental and climatic gradients linked to altitude. While the shift of pollinators from bee‐ to fly‐dominated communities with increasing elevation across vegetation zones is well established, the effect of highland altitudinal gradients on the community structure of pollinators within a specific habitat is poorly understood. We assessed wild bee and hoverfly communities, and their pollination service to three plant species common in mountain hay meadows, in eighteen extensively managed yellow oat grasslands (Trisetum flavescens) with an altitudinal gradient spanning approx. 300 m. Species richness and abundance of pollinators increased with elevation, but no shift between hoverflies and wild bees (mainly bumblebees) occurred. Seedset of the woodland cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum) increased with hoverfly abundance, and seedset of the marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) increased with wild bee abundance. Black rampion (Phyteuma nigrum) showed no significant response. The assignment of specific pollinator communities, and their response to altitude in highlands, to different plant species underlines the importance of wild bees and hoverflies as pollinators in extensive grassland systems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:54:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a6274a02d1eb4231b6903304aa2ef46e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T11:54:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-a6274a02d1eb4231b6903304aa2ef46e2022-12-21T22:32:37ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-08-011116113451135110.1002/ece3.7924Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadowsKevin Baumann0Julia Keune1Volkmar Wolters2Frank Jauker3Department of Animal Ecology Justus Liebig University Giessen Giessen GermanyDepartment of Animal Ecology Justus Liebig University Giessen Giessen GermanyDepartment of Animal Ecology Justus Liebig University Giessen Giessen GermanyDepartment of Animal Ecology Justus Liebig University Giessen Giessen GermanyAbstract Extensively managed and flower‐rich mountain hay meadows, hotspots of Europe's biodiversity, are subject to environmental and climatic gradients linked to altitude. While the shift of pollinators from bee‐ to fly‐dominated communities with increasing elevation across vegetation zones is well established, the effect of highland altitudinal gradients on the community structure of pollinators within a specific habitat is poorly understood. We assessed wild bee and hoverfly communities, and their pollination service to three plant species common in mountain hay meadows, in eighteen extensively managed yellow oat grasslands (Trisetum flavescens) with an altitudinal gradient spanning approx. 300 m. Species richness and abundance of pollinators increased with elevation, but no shift between hoverflies and wild bees (mainly bumblebees) occurred. Seedset of the woodland cranesbill (Geranium sylvaticum) increased with hoverfly abundance, and seedset of the marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre) increased with wild bee abundance. Black rampion (Phyteuma nigrum) showed no significant response. The assignment of specific pollinator communities, and their response to altitude in highlands, to different plant species underlines the importance of wild bees and hoverflies as pollinators in extensive grassland systems.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7924apidaecommunity assemblyecosystem serviceenvironmental filteringflower fliessyrphidae |
| spellingShingle | Kevin Baumann Julia Keune Volkmar Wolters Frank Jauker Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows Ecology and Evolution apidae community assembly ecosystem service environmental filtering flower flies syrphidae |
| title | Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows |
| title_full | Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows |
| title_fullStr | Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows |
| title_short | Distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows |
| title_sort | distribution and pollination services of wild bees and hoverflies along an altitudinal gradient in mountain hay meadows |
| topic | apidae community assembly ecosystem service environmental filtering flower flies syrphidae |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7924 |
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