Collaborating with Community Scientists to Improve Conservation: A Case Study with Bee Visitation Networks

Urban landscapes are a patchwork of small parcels of land that vary considerably in conservation quality and have a tendency to favor some species over others. However, the success of urban conservation efforts relies heavily on two things: knowledge of the biological system and individual decisions by landowners. The likelihood that a person takes conservation action is driven, not by scientific knowledge per se, but by their intentions and feelings of control. Collaborations between landowners and scientists, such as community science programs, have the potential to simultaneously test questions of conservation interest while empowering landowners to become conservation stewards.

In this project, we will collaborate with community scientists to document bee diversity and foraging behavior in residential gardens through the Shutterbee community science program. We will test whether conservation practices increase the diversity of urban bees and whether participation in a community science program changes conservation-related attitudes and behaviors of the participants. Ultimately, this project will inform best practices in urban bee conservation and deepen our understanding of what influences conservation-related behavioral change.

Research Team

Nicole Miller-Struttmann, Webster University 
Eric Goedereis, Webster University
Erin Tate, Saint Louis Zoo
Gerardo Camilo, Saint Louis University 
Ed Spevak, Saint Louis Zoo 
Mike Dawson, Saint Louis Zoo
Bob Coulter, Missouri Botanical Garden