MONITORING OF WILD BEES IN POSTINDUSTRIAL WASTELANDS IN THE KUJAWY REGION

Species diversity of pollinating insects was studied in areas affected by soda and lime industry in the Kujawy region (central Poland). Environmental monitoring was conducted near 3 industrial plants related to lime processing: Soda-Mątwy S.A. in Inowrocław, Janiksoda S.A. in Janikowo, and Trzuskawica S.A. in Bielawy. We recorded there 183 species of wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apiformes). The species that are widespread in the study area, i.e. common to all the 3 localities, accounted for about 50%, while those observed only locally, i.e. associated with only 1 industrial area, accounted for 25%. In the analysed period (2007-2010), we confirmed the occurrence of most of the species recorded: 78% in the areas affected by soda industry and 55% in those affected by lime industry. The presented results indicate that, surprisingly, postindustrial wastelands (including human-made and strongly degraded habitats) can create favourable conditions for stable populations of many species of insects, also of the monitored wild bees

CONSERVATION PROBLEMS OF BEE FAUNA (HYMENOPTERA: APOIDEA, APIFORMES) IN RESERVE „GÓRA GIPSOWA”

Preliminary results of research conducted in July of 2008 and 2010 in xerothermic plants reserve “Góra Gipsowa” in NW Poland were presented. During field surveys 75 species of Apiformes were found: Colletidae (9 species), Andrenidae (11 species), Halictidae (17 species), Melittidae (3 species), Megachilidae (19 species), Anthophoridae (5 species), Apidae (11 species). It is a significant number, especially when taking into account insular character of the reserve, small area, impact of surroundings and that investigations were limited to summer period. Number of species obtained in 2010, which is several times lower than obtained in 2008, indicates strong anthropopressure on the environment and corroborates the necessity of the appropriate ecosystem protection, wich would ensure the existence of precious plant species as well as much more vulnerable xerothermic fauna

CONSERVATION PROBLEMS OF BEE FAUNA (HYMENOPTERA: APOIDEA, APIFORMES) IN RESERVE „GÓRA GIPSOWA”

Preliminary results of research conducted in July of 2008 and 2010 in xerothermic plants reserve “Góra Gipsowa” in NW Poland were presented. During field surveys 75 species of Apiformes were found: Colletidae (9 species), Andrenidae (11 species), Halictidae (17 species), Melittidae (3 species), Megachilidae (19 species), Anthophoridae (5 species), Apidae (11 species). It is a significant number, especially when taking into account insular character of the reserve, small area, impact of surroundings and that investigations were limited to summer period. Number of species obtained in 2010, which is several times lower than obtained in 2008, indicates strong anthropopressure on the environment and corroborates the necessity of the appropriate ecosystem protection, wich would ensure the existence of precious plant species as well as much more vulnerable xerothermic fauna

Communities of Digger Wasps (Hymenoptera: Spheciformes) along a Tree Cover Gradient in the Cultural Landscape of River Valleys in Poland

This study of digger wasps (Hymenoptera: Spheciformes) was carried out in the cultural landscape of the Drwęca, Lower Vistula, and Warta river valleys in northern Poland during 2011–2013. The study was undertaken on sites representing a succession gradient from dry grasslands to high levels of tree cover which we hypothesised would influence the structure of digger wasp communities. During our research additional information on flower use, insect prey, and phenology was also recorded and is reported here, revealing dependencies between woodland cover and both the prey and nesting types of digger wasps. A total of 136 species were recorded, i.e., nearly 56% of all Spheciformes species recorded from Poland. Among the species collected, 30 were on the Red List of Threatened Animals in Poland. Most endangered species were recorded in psammophilous grasslands, which are open habitats, and the least in mesic sites. These results significantly update the known distribution of the digger wasp in northern Poland. Knowledge on the biology of digger wasps in Poland is also supplemented by information on the feeding of larvae of 14 species and information on food plants visited by imago digger wasps. The results of our research confirm the correlations between the increase in forest cover and the number of digger wasp species

Characteristics of the three microhabitats and values of the component “anthropopressure” extracted by PCA: [1]—Soil degradation, [2]—Succession stage.

<p>Characteristics of the three microhabitats and values of the component “anthropopressure” extracted by PCA: [1]—Soil degradation, [2]—Succession stage.</p

The study area with soda ash wastelands in the Kujawy region of central Poland.

<p>Study sites: <b>microhabitat 1</b>, sites A, B: succession stage I (A1, B1–2009 year, A2, B2–2010 year); m<b>icrohabitat 2</b>, sites C, D: succession stage II (C1, D1–2009 year, C2, D2–2010 year); <b>microhabitat 3</b>, sites E, F: succession stage III (E1, F1–2007 year, E2, F2–2008 year, E3, F3–2009 year) (see Tables <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#pone.0175664.t001" target="_blank">1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#pone.0175664.t002" target="_blank">2</a>).</p

The list of Spheciformes species in the areas influenced by the soda ash industry.

<p>The ecological classification of the species was based on the works of Jacobs and Oehlke [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#pone.0175664.ref039" target="_blank">39</a>], Schmid-Egger et al. [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#pone.0175664.ref040" target="_blank">40</a>] and Blösch [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#pone.0175664.ref023" target="_blank">23</a>]: 1–18 (eurytopic open areas species), 19–47 (stenotopic open areas species), 48–64 (stenotopic forest species). Threat categories according to Fauna of Poland [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#pone.0175664.ref046" target="_blank">46</a>]: EX?–probably extinct; VU–vulnerable, NT–nearly threatened; DD–deficient data; vrm–very rare, rm–rare.Nesting preferences: en–endogeic species (nesting in the ground), (en)–cleptoparasite endogeic species, hy–hypergeic species (nesting above ground). Food preferences: Ara–Araneae, Dip–Diptera, Col–Coleoptera, He-Ap–He-an–Hemiptera-another, Hym–Hymenoptera, cl–cleptoparasite, Ort–Orthoptera, Ort-Bla–Orthoptera & Blattodea, Lep–Lepidoptera.</p

a-d. RDA ordination diagram showing the loadings of <i>Spheciformes</i> species on the axes I and II and the vectors representing the analyzed habitat parameters.

<p><b>Pie charts show the percentage of these species in microhabitat 1 (white), microhabitat 2 (gray) and microhabitat 3 (black). The variables shown in the figure explained 66.8% of the variation in <i>Spheciformes</i> species data (the sum of all canonical eigenvalues: 0.668, the sum of all eigenvalues: 1.000; 0.668/1.000 = 0.668 i. e. 66.8%)</b>. Microhabitat 1: succession stage I soda ash waste, herbaceous vegetation coverage < 60%; microhabitat 2: succession stage II soda ash waste, herbaceous vegetation coverage > 60%; microhabitat 3: succession stage III soda ash waste, herbaceous vegetation coverage > 80%, tree coverage > 5%. (R) soil acidity: R5 (alkaline, pH > 7). S/F: salinity/moisture (<i>See</i> <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0175664#sec005" target="_blank">Methods</a>). Species name abbreviations: aly_spi—<i>Alysson spinosus</i>; amm_cam—<i>Ammophila campestris</i>; amm_sab—<i>Ammophila sabulosa</i>; arg_mys—<i>Argogorytes mystaceus</i>; ast_boo—<i>Astata boops</i>; ast_min—<i>Astata minor</i>; cer_are—<i>Cerceris arenaria</i>; cer_fla—<i>Cerceris flavilabris</i>; cer_int—<i>Cerceris interrupta</i>; cer_ryb—<i>Cerceris rybyensis</i>; cer_qui—<i>Cerceris quinquefasciata</i>; cra_cri—<i>Crabro cribrarius</i>; cra_pel—<i>Crabro peltarius</i>; cra_scu—<i>Crabro scutellatus</i>; cro_cer—<i>Crossocerus cetratus</i>; dio_lup—<i>Diodontus luperus</i>; dio_min—<i>Diodontus minutus</i>; dio_tri -<i>Diodontus tristis</i>; dry_sti—<i>Dryudella stigma</i>; ect_conf—<i>Ectemnius confinis</i>; ect_con—<i>Ectemnius continuus</i>; ect_div—<i>Ectemnius dives</i>; ect_rub—<i>Ectemnius rubicola</i>; ent_bre—<i>Entomognathus brevis</i>; gor_qui—<i>Gorytes quinquefasciatus</i>; har_lae—<i>Harpactus laevis</i>; har_lun—<i>Harpactus lunatus</i>; les_ala—<i>Lestica alata</i>; lin_alb—<i>Lindenius albilabris</i>; lin_pan—<i>Lindenius panzeri</i>; lin_pyg—<i>Lindenius pygmaeus</i>; mel_cra—<i>Mellinus crabroneus</i>; mim_bic—<i>Mimesa bicolor</i>; nys_dim—<i>Nysson dimidiatus</i>; nys_int—<i>Nysson interruptus</i>; nys_mac—<i>Nysson maculosus</i>; nys_nig—<i>Nysson niger</i>; nys_trid<i>—Nysson tridens</i>; nys_tri—<i>Nysson trimaculatus</i>; oxy_bip—<i>Oxybelus bipunctatus</i>; oxy_man—<i>Oxybelus mandibularis</i>; oxy_tri—<i>Oxybelus trispinosus</i>; oxy_qua—<i>Oxybelus quatuordecimnotatus</i>; oxy_uni—<i>Oxybelus uniglumis</i>; oxy_var—<i>Oxybelus variegatus</i>; pas_cly—<i>Passaloecus clypealis</i>; pas_sin—<i>Passaloecus singularis</i>; pem_aus—<i>Pemphredon austriaca</i>; pem_ino—<i>Pemphredon inornata</i>; pem_let—<i>Pemphredon lethifer</i>; pem_mor—<i>Pemphredon morio</i>; phi_tri—<i>Philanthus triangulum</i>; pod_aff—<i>Podalonia affinis</i>; pod_hir—<i>Podalonia hirsuta</i>; sor_com<i>—Solierella compedita</i>; tac_ful—<i>Tachysphex fulvitarsis</i>; tac_nit—<i>Tachysphex nitidus</i>; tac_pom—<i>Tachysphex pompiliformis</i>; tac_psa—<i>Tachysphex psammobius</i>; tac_uni—<i>Tachysphex unicolor</i>; try_att<i>—Trypoxylon attenuatum</i>; try_dec—<i>Trypoxylon deceptorium</i>; try_fig—<i>Trypoxylon figulus</i>; try_min—<i>Trypoxylon minus</i>.Principal Components Analysis (PCA): microhabitat 1: (A1, A2, B1, B2), microhabitat 2: (C1, C2, D1, D2), microhabitat 3: (E1, E2, F1, F2).</p