Bombus impatiens Colony Growth in the Context of Two Biofuel Crops and their Surrounding Landscape
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Authors
Rich, Alyson G.
Issue Date
2011
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
In recent attempts to replace fossil fuels, biofuels have become a popular field of interest and research. This increase in demand for biofuel crops requires the use of agricultural landscapes that could harm or sustain the environment. Some biomass crops such as corn fields require a lot of maintanance and are detrimental to our environment. Other biofuel crops such as those from cellulosic biomass do not require high maintanace and are preferable to the environment. Allocating vast quatities of land, biofuel crops should provided diversity and resources to beneficial arthropods that offer many services to our environment, including pollination. One important arthropod in the service of pollination is the species Bombus impatiens. In this study we researched how different growth variables of colonies from the bumblebee species, Bombus impatiens, would be affected by two biofuel crops. We also tested how surrounding landscapes (based on perennial proportion) of these biofuel crops affect colony growth. Experimental colonies were placed in biofuel crops of corn and prairie. Colonies from prairie biofuel crops had a greater weight gain difference along with overall weight. We also found that prairie colonies produced more queens over the experimental period. When comparing sites based on surrounding landscapes, prairie and corn with low perennial proportion honey pots were more abundant than in corn fields with high perennial proportion. Overall our results demonstrate that mixed prairie biofuels provide bumblebees with more resources for better overall fitness.
Description
v, 27 p.
Citation
Publisher
Kalamazoo College
License
U.S. copyright laws protect this material. Commercial use or distribution of this material is not permitted without prior written permission of the copyright holder.