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University of Michigan Biological Station

The University of Michigan Biological Station (UMBS) was founded in 1909.

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Enhancing Great Lakes Landscapes for Healthy Pollinators

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Project Abstract: 
This project will be part of a funded USDA grant titled “Enhancing Great Lakes Landscapes for Healthy Pollinators.” The focus of this grant is to conduct longitudinal assessments of pollinator communities in agricultural and natural landscapes, to assess short to long-term population change, by resampling historical sites and establishing new baseline sample locations. We have identified 5 regions where historical bee records are sufficient for a robust evaluation of changes in bee diversity: Kellogg Biological Station, Kalamazoo County; Douglas Lake, Cheboygan County; E.S. George Reserve, Livingston County; East Lansing, Ingham County; Rose Lake Wildlife Reserve, Clinton and Shiawassee Counties; and Midland County. These sites vary in their land use intensity and the likely extent of long term changes. Many of these were intensively sampled from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. We will digitize specimen records at Michigan State University and the University of Michigan from these key collection regions.
Investigator(s): 
Kelsey K Graham
Rufus Isaacs
Status of Research Project: 
Complete (archive)
Years Active: 
2018
Methods: 
We will sample 2-3 times across the field seasons (June – October 2017; April – October 2018). All sampling will take place between 9am – 4pm. Sampling will be performed along transects at flowering species. Bees will be netted at each flowering species for 30 minutes. Bee specimens will be identified and held at Michigan State University, and then made available to University of Michigan at the end of the project. Host plants will also be identified. Bees will be collected, however, given the size of the sampling location and the collection effort we do not anticipate any significant effect on the local bee community. Likewise, floral host clippings will be taken for identification. However, we do not anticipate this collection to have a significant impact on the plant community.
Funding agency: 
USDA NIFA Food Security Pollinator Program