RICHNESS OF WILD BEES IN FOUR HABITATS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

DURAN, MELINA

A comparative native bee species richness analysis was conducted in four different areas (IG, PL, WS and FF) in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. This research project is the result of collaborative efforts between CRNRA and the Coevolution Institute to establish pollinator species status and develop conservation strategies. In each area, native bees were collected using the bee bowl sampling technique during an eight-month period; specimens were identified to species level by the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (USGS). The species accumulation curves program (EstimateS V 8.2.0, 2012) and a cluster analysis of the program NTSYS pc (V.2.1, 2000) were used to estimate and compare bee species richness. Seventy-nine species were captured belonging to 26 genera and five families - eight new state records were recorded for Georgia. In the IG area (non- native invasive grasses), the highest bee species richness number was observed (55 species), while the indicator Chao2 estimated a maximum of 65 species; grasses and other small shrubs species can be found here and are managed with mechanical control. The PL (pipeline right-of-way / early successional field) and WS (emergent scrub / shrub wetland) areas both registered 50 species; however, Chao2 estimates 94 species in PL, and 83 species in WS. Both of these areas have herbaceous species and shrub species. FF (floodplain / seasonally flooded bottomland forest), where tree species are more prevalent and there is no invasive plant management control, only 13 species were captured and Chao2 estimated 18.4 species - the lowest species richness in comparison with the rest of the areas. Bee species richness and composition is clearly associated with the vegetation structure of each area. The IG area, where mechanical control for invasive plant species is practiced and has simpler vegetation structure and more human impact, does not demonstrate the lowest species richness.

RICHNESS OF WILD BEES IN FOUR HABITATS OF THE CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER NATIONAL RECREATIONAL AREA, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

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