There are growing concerns about potential declines in wild bee species due to climate change and habitat loss. Urbanization could be detrimental to wild bees by reducing their native habitats or increasing habitat temperatures due to the "heat island effect". Alternatively, urban areas could benefit wild bees by providing them with greater floral resources or nesting sites.

 The goal of this project is to evaluate the effects of urbanisation on wild bees in Basel. I plan to investigate the diversity and performance of wild bees along an urbanisation gradient spanning four habitat types: rural, agricultural, suburban, and urban. For each habitat type, six 1m x 1m plots and in total 24 plots will be selected, using GIS data to quantify different metrics of urbanization (e.g., percent green space). To assess wild bee diversity and performance, data on wild bee abundance, species number and floral visitation rate will be collected. To quantify the effects of urbanization on wild bee habitat suitability, I will also record local air temperature, floral diversity and abundance, and nesting site availability at each site. Wild bees will be identified to the genus level whenever possible or assigned a morphotype based on previous literature.

The effects of urbanisation on wild bees will then be assessed by relating wild bee diversity and performance with the different urbanisation metrics quantified along the gradient. To assess how urbanisation affects wild bee habitat suitability, I will also analyse how habitat temperature, floral diversity and abundance, and nesting site availability varies along the urbanisation gradient.

By analyzing the effects of urbanisation on wild bee abundance and performance, including data on wild bee habitat suitability, my goal is to better understand how urbanisation may compound or allievate potential pollinator declines.

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