Bee diversity and floral resources along a disturbance gradient in coastal Kenya

by Chiawo et al.

 

Macrogalea candida foraging on Urena lobata

Bees are important in pollination of native plant populations, fruit crops and adapting ecosystems to environmental change. However, benefits of pollination by bees are likely reduced in many areas causing pollination-related problems within natural and agricultural ecosystems. Despite the ongoing concerns, there is little information on the response of bees to land use change and only a few studies exist for Kenya and such data missing in many forest ecosystems in Africa especially along the coastal regions.

The objective of the study was to examine bee composition and floral resources from the forest to farmlands in Kaya Muhaka forest and surrounding farmlands in Kenyan coast, with the view to determining a possible effect of increasing distance from the primary forest on bee diversity.

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Read the scientific publication in JPE.