Examining the Impact of Human Presence on Insect Pollinators in Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat in North San Diego County

Abstract

Pollinator conservation is an important field of research due to the essential role of pollinators in plant reproduction in all ecosystems. Pollinator diversity is a key indicator of the overall health of an ecosystem. We conducted a long-term focal survey of the insect pollinators of a southern California native Coastal Sage Scrub (CSS) habitat, while examining the effect of human presence on the diversity of those insect pollinators. We additionally evaluated the frequency of plant-pollinator interactions, comparing sites of high and low human activity at the San Diego Safari Park. Our results showed that while invasive European Honey bees (A. mellifera)dominated pollinator networks in both sites, there wassignificant difference in evenness between the sites (Shannon's Diversity Index 0.47 vs 0.84).