Estimating bee abundance: Can mark-recapture methods validate common sampling protocols?

Apidologie
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Abstract

Wild bees are essential pollinators in natural and agricultural systems, but populations of some species have declined. Efforts to assess the status of wild bees are hindered by uncertainty in common sampling methods, such as pan traps and aerial netting, which may or may not provide a valid index of abundance across species and habitats. Mark-recapture methods are a common and effective means of estimating population size, widely used in vertebrates but rarely applied to bees. Here we review existing mark-recapture studies of wild bees and present a new case study comparing mark-recapture population estimates to pan trap and net capture for four taxa in a wild bee community. Net, but not trap, capture was correlated with abundance estimates across sites and taxa. Logistical limitations ensure that mark-recapture studies will not fully replace other bee sampling methods, but they do provide a feasible way to monitor selected species and measure the performance of other sampling methods.
Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Estimating bee abundance: Can mark-recapture methods validate common sampling protocols?
Series title Apidologie
DOI 10.1007/s13592-022-00919-4
Volume 53
Issue 10
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher Springer
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Description 24 p.
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