A study on the effect of unimproved wildflower grassland on bumblebee species diversity & abundance in Lancashire

Abstract

Global declines among many species of bumblebee have led to considerable debate as to how best to conserve species, with a number of studies highlighting the restoration of unimproved grasslands as the most prudent option. In the UK research into the effectiveness of such measures is largely restricted to a few well documented areas in the south of England where remnants of the rare and declining bumblebee species are still known to exist. Outside of these areas there is an admission that research is presently lacking with a number of areas having only sporadic records of species distributions. Thus this study sought to examine the effect of unimproved wildflower grassland on bumblebee species diversity and abundance within Lancashire. Freeman’s Pasture, one of the few remaining areas of unimproved grassland in Lancashire, was surveyed throughout the summer of 2013 along with a similar site which had undergone development in order for comparison. In total 380 bumblebees were identified across the two sites comprising 6 different species. Analysis of the results showed that while unimproved grassland provided a small increase in species diversity, the overall number of individuals supported by a single patch is insufficient to sustain bumblebee communities in the long term. It was therefore suggested that study in the area should instead focus on providing comprehensive, up to date records of species distribution in order to instruct conservation strategy in the future.