Research Project: Pollinator Surveys on National Forests in Region 4, Intermountain Region

Location: Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research

Project Number: 2080-21000-019-052-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement

Start Date: Jun 30, 2022
End Date: Jun 30, 2027

Objective:
The 2014 Presidential Memo on pollinators directs Federal departments and agencies to evaluate and use their resources, facilities, and land management responsibilities to expand knowledge of pollinator health and to increase habitat quality and availability including assessments of the status of native pollinators, including the Monarch butterfly and bees, and modeling of native pollinator populations and habitats. The purpose of this project is to survey insect pollinators on National Forest System lands to obtain a baseline of species information that occurs on each forest. ARS will work with the USFS Region 4 Pollinator Coordinator to select forests for surveys. Survey protocols will follow the Region 4 pollinator survey and monitoring guidelines or if needed may be developed in conjunction with ARS Region 4 pollinator coordinator and the host forest. Surveys will be conducted over at least two field seasons per forest unit to ensure capture of data over time. In addition to surveys if funding is sufficient the ARS and Region 4 of the Forest Service will work together on investigating pollinator use of forested ecosystems as well as identifying pollinators important to rare plant reproduction. ARS will coordinate with the host forest and Region 4 pollinator coordinators to select areas for surveys or study. ARS will coordinate activities with the host unit to ensure forest specific rules are followed. Some areas are closed to collection including RNAs and wilderness units. Scientific protocols will be developed and/or adopted or modified from existing protocols in conjunction with the Forest Service Region 4 staff and used for custody, identification, analysis and final storage of collections of insects.

Approach:
Scientific protocols will be developed and/or adopted or modified from existing protocols in conjunction with the Forest Service Region 4 staff and used for custody, identification, analysis and final storage of collections of insects in the US National Pollinating Insect Collection. Data for the specimens collected will be added to the database associated with the NPIC and floral associations shared with the PLANTS database. Digital images and molecular sequencing of specimens will be made to aide in creating identification materials and methods for stakeholders. Reports: A report will be developed for each field season for each forest surveyed that includes the following information: - Location surveyed (GPS coordinates) - Date, Time and Duration of surveys - Collectors names - Methods used during data or sample collection for each site - Identification of species collection and abundance of each species collected - If bee netted on floral host, the floral association will be noted. - Record of digital images and molecular data for species - Deposition records for specimens added to the US National Pollinating Insect Collection - Habitat characteristics- (Potential to develop and use a pollinator habitat scorecard) Ecological type, Percent native vs non-native grasses and forbs and bar ground/litter. Percent forested versus open canopy. Phenology of flowering species and percent of cover with species that are in flower during surveys. - Land use - Threats to pollinators observed For studies: A report will include the information above and additional information including description of protocols, analysis of data collected and recommendations. This may be a collaborative report with Region 4 staff.