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Abstract
As with other kinds of wetland habitats in California, approximately 90 percent of vernal pool habitat (estimated) has been lost in California. In southern California, losses are estimated to be even greater. The flora of these endangered habitats is reasonably well known, especially the spring flowering annuals that are found in or at the margins of vernal pools (for example,
Blennosperma, Limnanthes, Lasthenia, and
Downingia species). However, the insect visitor fauna associated with these floral species is much less well known, and what work has been done has been limited primarily to the northern Central Valley region. The insect visitors associated with vernal pool plants are of ecological importance because many vernal pool plant species are self-incompatible and require outcrossing to reproduce. Previous studies indicate that species of solitary bees are especially dominant members of the insect visitor fauna associated with vernal pool plants. One of our recent studies examined the bee fauna associated with floral patches of
Limnanthes douglasii ssp.
rosea using a new sampling or monitoring method. We used colored pan traps or water traps to assess the species richness and abundance of the bee fauna associated with seven
L. douglasii ssp.
rosea populations or patches. These
Limnanthes populations were located at Jepson Prairie Preserve near Sacramento. Prior to this study, basic quantitative information on bee species richness and abundance in these endangered wetland habitats had been lacking.
Parent Publication
Citation
Leong, Joan M.; Thorp, Robbin W. 2005. Bee diversity associated with
Limnanthes floral patches in California vernal pool habitats. In: Kus, Barbara E., and Beyers, Jan L., technical coordinators. Planning for Biodiversity: Bringing Research and Management Together. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-195. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture: 267-268
