Abstract
One challenge for researchers working on global pollinator decline issues is the need for effective monitoring methods to detect short and long-term trends in pollinator populations that have received considerable monitoring attention during the past several years. In a long-term study in northwestern Guanacaste Province, Costa Rica, we planted from seed replications of 60 known native bee-plant species in 2000 (mostly trees) in a 3 Ha plot at a fallowed pasture site within an active cattle ranch, which was surrounded by moderately disturbed wild land forest/wooded savanna. One project goal was to monitor native bees and honey bees every 5 years on the host plants beginning in mid 2002. Almost half of the known bee species from the surrounding region (~125 of ~250) were collected over a 12-month period to establish a comparative baseline of bee diversity for the site. A second goal was to monitor when each of the tree species began their first year of flowering. As of 2007, about 20% of the tree species have begun to flower. Information on bee-plant relationships, bee diversity, and flowering environment are used to suggest how small constructed wild land gardens can be used to conserve pollinators.
