Using predictive risk assessment to aid bee conservation in heavy metal polluted landscapes

Abstract

Habitat loss is a significant driver of wild bee decline. To combat this, initiatives to increase bee habitat within our landscape are becoming increasingly common. However, bee habitat installation requires careful consideration as bees are particularly sensitive to heavy metals, one of the most widespread environmental pollutants. Here, I develop a risk assessment framework to better inform bee habitat installation for conservation purposes. First, I identify landscape characteristics correlated with elevated heavy metal pollutants in roadside bee habitat. Second, I analyze the effects of chronic, low-level heavy metal exposure on bee development. Third, I evaluate whether certain ecological traits increase the likelihood of bees encountering heavy metal pollutants. Fourth, I investigate if bee hairs, specialized for pollen collection, could also be specialized for pollution collection. Altogether, this work provides a predictive tool for our heavy metal polluted environment that can help identify which habitats represent a greater threat to bees, and which bees face higher risk.