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Carvell, C., W. C. Jordan, et al. (2012). "Molecular and spatial
analyses reveal links between colony-specific foraging distance and
landscape-level resource availability in two bumblebee species."
<u>Oikos</u> <b>121</b>(5): 734-742.<br>
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Foraging distance is a key determinant of colony survival and pollination
potential in bumblebees Bombus spp. However this aspect of bumblebee
ecology is poorly understood because of the difficulty in locating
colonies of these central place foragers. Here, we used a combination of
molecular microsatellite analyses, remote sensing and spatial analyses
using kernel density estimates to estimate nest location and foraging
distances for a large number of wild colonies of two species, and related
these to the distribution of foraging habitats across an experimentally
manipulated landscape. Mean foraging distances were 755 m for Bombus
lapidarius and 775 m for B. pascuorum (using our most conservative
estimation method). Colony-specific foraging distances of both species
varied with landscape structure, decreasing as the proportion of foraging
habitats increased. This is the first time that foraging distance in wild
bumblebees has been shown to vary with resource availability. Our method
offers a means of estimating foraging distances in social insects, and
informs the scale of management required to conserve bumblebee
populations and enhance their pollination services across different
landscapes.<br><br>
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