TORONTO, May 22, 2024 – Community science volunteers – laypeople with an interest in bees and conservation – significantly contribute to the scientific knowledge of native bumble bees across Canada and the United States, finds a new study by 91��ɫ.

It’s buzz worthy confirmation that community science programs can play an important role in monitoring the changing distributions of bumble bees and more. Community scientists have importantly also detected several at-risk or endangered species in unexpected locations, including the rusty-patched bumble bee and the gypsy cuckoo bumble bee. Trained scientists often haven’t seen some of the bees in years and these sightings can help them keep tabs on the species.

The paper, , was published today in the journal PLOS ONE.

Up to a third of North American bumble bees are in decline, but the why of it is still fuzzy. Knowledge gaps about bumble bee stressors, ranges, population dynamics and preferred plants are prevalent.

“As scientists we really value the contribution of community scientists and the breadth of data they are able to gather, including a wide range of locations and species. As scientists usually lack the resources and time to do this kind of field work over such a large geographic area, it really shines a spotlight on the importance of community science programs,” says lead and corresponding author Victoria MacPhail, who conducted the research as part of her PhD at 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change (EUC).

Through the growing (BBW) program, community scientists have been the eyes on the ground for bee researchers. The volunteers have taken photos of bumble bees from every province, state and territory and upload them through the BBW website along with where they were spotted and plant information if known. Bee taxon experts verify the species of bee.

“The data collected by volunteers through Bumble Bee Watch was surprisingly more plentiful, robust and valuable than anticipated and we rely on that data to add to our current knowledge and to confirm other information,” says MacPhail, who is also a former Bee Ecology, Evolution and Conservation coordinator at 91��ɫ.

MacPhail completed the study along with 91��ɫ Associate Professor of EUC and Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in the United States. They compared BBW data collected by community scientists with the Bumble Bees of North America (BBNA), data collected through traditional scientific methods, for all years available and specifically from 2010 to 2020.

The researchers found the BBW covered as much ground geographically, as the BBNA over all years – 63 provinces, states and territories – and had information on 41 species compared to 48 in the BBNA.

“We found the BBW to be valuable as it bolsters our knowledge about habitat, species associations, distribution, and changes in population size, which helps to inform conservation management for bumble bees.”

Sheila Colla

Looking exclusively at the decade from 2010 to 2020, the BBW had data from an additional four provinces and states, and more information about 13 species than in the BBNA.

In terms of percentages, the BBW contributed 8.5 per cent of overall records, but that increased to more than 25 per cent during the specific decade being studied. Community scientists were able to confirm the prevalence of species as well as inform researchers of which species were inhabiting new locations.

They also contributed ecological information, such as species data for most of the bee species and unique plant genera. Knowing which flowers different types of bumble bees prefer is nothing to sneeze at as it can help prevent habitat loss and inform conservation management.

“While the BBW had fewer bee records than the BBNA database overall, it definitely helps to fill in data gaps and provide new information, and it complements traditional scientific methods,” says Colla. “We found the BBW to be valuable as it bolsters our knowledge about habitat, species associations, distribution, and changes in population size, which helps to inform conservation management for bumble bees.”

In addition, community science programs can bring awareness to the threats facing bumble bees and help mitigate species decline as they are already interested, engaged and documenting bees, their habitats and their locations – buzz pollinating action and ideas.

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TORONTO, May 18, 2022 – It’s no secret that pollinators are in trouble – and it could affect that morning coffee, fruit and even, bowl of cereal.  

The theme of on May 20 is Bee Engaged: Celebrating the diversity of bees and beekeeping systems, and it’s a good time to learn how creating bee-friendly habitats in the garden, on a balcony or in a community garden can help. There are some 350 species of native bees in Ontario, more than 850 in Canada and 20,000 worldwide.

91��ɫ is home to the recently established Centre for Bee Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation where bee scientists and modellers work to foster collaborative expertise and further innovative and cutting-edge research to better understand bees and the risks to their health. Want to know more about bee habitats, behaviour, genetics and diseases, just ask the experts listed below.

And, tune in to 91��ɫ’s Scholar’s Hub @ Home: Bee the Change on May 19 at noon to learn about saving declining pollinators from two of 91��ɫ’s bee experts, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change and Professor of the Faculty of Science. Register .

Sheila Colla, co-author of the forthcoming book (June 11) – , can discuss the following:

• What to plant on balconies, in yards and community gardens across Ontario (See )

• Connection between native plants and native pollinators

• Importance of citizen science – how people can help scientists keep track of bees and their habitats

• What happened to the Rusty-patched bumblebee and why it’s a tale of what could happen to other bees

• Other bees on the endangered list

• Beyond honey bees and bumble bees. What are sweat bees, carpenter bees and mining bees, and what role do they play?

, an expert in wild bee genomics, behaviour and conservation and an associate professor in the Faculty of Science, can talk about:

• Loss of plant-pollinator networks and how some plants will now bloom too soon or too late for bees that rely on them

• Are the gut microbiomes of city bees missing key beneficial bacteria?

• Biodiversity conservation and why it’s important

• How maternal care of bee offspring has expanded the social life of bees

• Population and behavioural genomics

• Climate change, land use change and the effects on bees

Amro Zayed, an expert in honey bee biology and genomics, can talk aboutthe following:

• How bee genes can determine how bees behave, including how good they are at keeping their hive clean and how well they can survive cold winters

• Did western honey bees originate in Asia and why is that important to know?

• How the urban environment can help or hinder bees – think concrete versus green spaces, trees and gardens

• What’s stressing bumblebees? How scientists are using a conservation genomic approach and next generation sequencing to look inside for pathogens and pesticides

• Why are African hybrid honey bees (known as killer honey bees) highly defensive and aggressive?

• Bee health diagnostic tools, what they do and what’s being developed

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91��ɫ is a modern, multi-campus, urban university located in Toronto, Ontario. Backed by a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, alumni and partners, we bring a uniquely global perspective to help solve societal challenges, drive positive change and prepare our students for success. 91��ɫ's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education. 91��ɫ’s campuses in Costa Rica and India offer students exceptional transnational learning opportunities and innovative programs. Together, we can make things right for our communities, our planet, and our future.

Media Contact:
Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

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TORONTO, June 30, 2020 – Researchers from disciplines across 91��ɫ, including biologists, social scientists and mathematicians, will develop a hive of research when 91��ɫ’s new (BEEc) becomes an Organized Research Unit (ORU) starting July 1.

The Senate of 91��ɫ approved the move earlier this year to make BEEc the University’s 26th ORU, enabling it to dive deeper into the crisis affecting the health and decline of bees globally.

“91��ɫ’s ORUs have a strong history of highly innovative and collaborative research,” said Vice-President Research & Innovation Amir Asif. “Steeped in 91��ɫ’s tradition of collegial interdisciplinarity, ORUs serve as synergistic hubs for participatory research programs that bring together expertise from across disciplines.”

The new ORU will provide a place where experts can collaborate on innovative, cutting-edge research on bees to help further knowledge, train future leaders in the field, educate the public and affect policy that will make a difference for pollinators locally, as well as globally.

“We are thrilled that our proposal was approved by Senate. The bee crisis is multidimensional and there is no simple solution. BEEc will allow us to bring talented biologists and mathematicians, but also engineers, social scientists and economists to help us answer the big questions in the field,” says Amro Zayed, research chair in Genomics and BEEc director.

BEEc researchers will study the health, behaviour, biodiversity, genomics and conservation of bees, with the goal of enhancing their long-term sustainability, and that of the important crops and plants that rely on bees for pollination.

Meet some of the core researchers:

Associate of the Faculty of Science uses genomics to understand why native bees and honey bees are declining, and develops tools to circumvent these declines.

Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Environmental Studies researches native bees to find out why they’re in decline and develops conservation efforts with a special focus on at-risk bumblebees.

Professor , a Distinguished Research Professor, studies native bees and is constantly contributing new species records to the global list of over 20,300 species. He has built and continues to maintain the largest Canadian collection of bees, currently estimated at over 500,000 specimens from all over the globe.

Professor of the Faculty of Science is an expert on social insect genomics and pollinator health combining molecular evolution, behavioural ecology, population genetics, and phylogenetics to understand the sociobiology, biogeography, nutritional requirements, and sustainability of bees.

Professor of the Faculty of Science and director of 91��ɫ’s Centre for Disease Modelling is applying her modelling skills to help understand how pathogens and pests affect colony health.

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91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

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Bee photos by community scientists contribute to much needed data for conservation efforts

TORONTO, June 29, 2020 – Think you can identify that bumble bee you just took a photo of in your backyard? 91��ɫ researchers have found that a little more than 50 per cent of community science participants, who submitted photos to the North American program, were able to properly identify the bee species.

Community science is a popular tool used by conservation biologists to engage the public in scientific data collection to inform conservation policy and management decisions.

Bombus terricola. Photo credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

In the case of Bumble Bee Watch, the collected data is from all over North America and can feed into conservation plans to better protect the bees and their habitats, and even to know what habitats they need, knowledge on how different species are doing, and even legal protections for endangered bee species. Tens of thousands of bees have been recorded, including those at-risk.

“That data is incredibly important. It’s data that would otherwise may not be captured,” says PhD student Victoria MacPhail of the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) and lead author of the published today in the journal .

But if the bee identifications made by the public are inaccurate close to 50 per cent of the time, that puts a lot of strain on the enlisted experts to verify or correct the identifications.

“Accurate species level identification is an important first step for effective conservation management decisions,” says MacPhail. “Those community science programs that have experts review submitted photos to determine if the identification is correct have a higher scientific value.”

Bombus rufocinctus. Photo credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

There are 46 species of bumble bees in North America. Community scientists collected or identified about 39 species, although not always correctly. Some of the species the participants were most likely to get wrong were the Rusty-Patched Bumble Bee and the American Bumble Bee. Both are declining and listed as critical or of special concern. MacPhail thinks much of that has to do with wishful thinking.

“Everyone wants to find an endangered bumble bee in their backyard,” she says. “But the accuracy of initial identification is important for determining the utility and quality of community science-collected data.”

The researchers, including Assistant Professor of FES and PhD student Shelby Gibson of the Faculty of Science, analyzed more than 22,000 expert-reviewed submissions to Bumble Bee Watch. Some 52 per cent were correctly identified by species, 38 per cent were incorrectly identified, while another nine per cent were invalid (not a bumble bee).

Some species are easier to identify than others, which is why the researchers are looking into the possibility of using artificial intelligence to verify submissions of those easier-to-identify bees. They will also look at providing more tools and resources to help participants properly identify the bee in their photos, including pop-up windows to offer tips on what to look for to identify that particular species before the final submission is made.

Better accuracy of identification means the data can be put to use faster and it will save valuable expert time, allowing them to give more timely feedback, engage participants, enhance educational value and aid in retention of the valuable resource of community scientists.

PHOTOS:

Volunteers taking photos of bees – Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Bees on flowers –

Bombus rufocinctus. Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Bombus bohemicus. Credit: Assistant Professor Sheila Colla, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

Bombus terricola. Credit: PhD candidate Victoria MacPhail, Faculty of Environmental Studies, 91��ɫ

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91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post Community scientists identify bumble bees correctly 50 per cent of the time appeared first on News@91��ɫ.

TORONTO, May 12, 2020 – How valuable is community science to research? A survey of participants at , a community and research collaboration to track and conserve bumble bees in North America, found users are well educated and strongly motivated to save bees, say 91��ɫ researchers.

Bumble Bee Watch is a community science program where participants submit photos of bumble bees from across Canada and the United States for expert verification. The data can be used to help better understand bumble bee biology and aid in their conservation. But who is doing the submitting and is it enough? How can community science programs motivate their participants?

Eighty-eight per cent of participants said they were involved in the program because they wanted to contribute to scientific data collection, while 80 per cent said it was because they worried about bees and had a desire to help save them. Sixty-three per cent said they chose to participate to learn more about species on their property. Fifty-nine per cent said they participated because of a personal interest.

“It’s necessary for community science programs to understand participant demographics, what motivates them, and the outcomes of their participation,” says PhD student Victoria MacPhail of the Faculty of Environmental Studies, whose supervisor is Assistant Professor Sheila Colla.

“That can tell us what areas are working well or could be improved. It is also important to understand who verifies the submissions and who uses the data.”

The researchers found that participants want to learn more about bumble bees and contribute to the scientific understanding of them. “We want volunteers to stay active and continue to contribute high quality data, as well as increase their interest in conservation actions,” says MacPhail. “That way we can also create a program that meet their needs.”

Suggested areas for improvement included better app and website functionality, faster and more detailed feedback, localized resources, and more communication, but overall, participants think the program is valuable and they have learned about bumble bees.

A separate survey of 15 experts suggested how to improve the verification process and the quality of the submitted data. The experts suggested the research questions that are asked or answered from the data could help fill knowledge gaps around species diversity, ranges, habitat, phenology and floral associations. That would help support species status assessments, effect policy and legislation, and encourage habitat restoration and management efforts, as well as guiding further research.

The paper, , is published today in PeerJ.

Bumble Bee Watch partners include 91��ɫ’s , , , , , and .

PHOTOS:

Volunteers taking photos of bees -

Bees on flowers -

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91��ɫ champions new ways of thinking that drive teaching and research excellence. Our students receive the education they need to create big ideas that make an impact on the world. Meaningful and sometimes unexpected careers result from cross-disciplinary programming, innovative course design and diverse experiential learning opportunities. 91��ɫ students and graduates push limits, achieve goals and find solutions to the world’s most pressing social challenges, empowered by a strong community that opens minds. 91��ɫ U is an internationally recognized research university – our 11 faculties and 25 research centres have partnerships with 200+ leading universities worldwide. Located in Toronto, 91��ɫ is the third largest university in Canada, with a strong community of 53,000 students, 7,000 faculty and administrative staff, and more than 300,000 alumni. 91��ɫ U's fully bilingual Glendon Campus is home to Southern Ontario's Centre of Excellence for French Language and Bilingual Postsecondary Education.

Media Contact:

Sandra McLean, 91��ɫ Media Relations, 416-272-6317, sandramc@yorku.ca

The post What’s the bee-g deal with community science? appeared first on News@91��ɫ.