Land-use change reduces habitat suitability for supporting managed honey bee colonies in the Northern Great Plains

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
By: , and 

Links

Abstract

Human reliance on insect pollination services continues to increase even as pollinator populations exhibit global declines. Increased commodity crop prices and federal subsidies for biofuel crops, such as corn and soybeans, have contributed to rapid land-use change in the US Northern Great Plains (NGP), changes that may jeopardize habitat for honey bees in a part of the country that supports >40% of the US colony stock. We investigated changes in biofuel crop production and grassland land covers surrounding ∼18,000 registered commercial apiaries in North and South Dakota from 2006 to 2014. We then developed habitat selection models to identify remotely sensed land-cover and land-use features that influence apiary site selection by Dakota beekeepers. Our study demonstrates a continual increase in biofuel crops, totaling 1.2 Mha, around registered apiary locations in North and South Dakota. Such crops were avoided by commercial beekeepers when selecting apiary sites in this region. Furthermore, our analysis reveals how grasslands that beekeepers target when selecting commercial apiary locations are becoming less common in eastern North and South Dakota, changes that may have lasting impact on pollinator conservation efforts. Our study highlights how land-use change in the NGP is altering the landscape in ways that are seemingly less conducive to beekeeping. Our models can be used to guide future conservation efforts highlighted in the US national pollinator health strategy by identifying areas that support high densities of commercial apiaries and that have exhibited significant land-use changes.

Study Area

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Land-use change reduces habitat suitability for supporting managed honey bee colonies in the Northern Great Plains
Series title Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.1073/pnas.1603481113
Volume 113
Issue 7
Year Published 2016
Language English
Publisher PNAS
Contributing office(s) Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Description 6 p.
First page 10430
Last page 10435
Country United States
State North Dakota, South Dakota
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details