RLT Annual Meeting: Dr. Robert GeGear presents Beecology, a local citizen science project
The RLT Annual Meeting is in person this year — and we are thrilled! Join us on Thursday, April 7 at 7pm at Goff Memorial Hall (Blanding Public Library) for our local updates and a presentation by Dr. Robert GeGear on his award-winning citizen science project, Beecology.
You can collect bee and butterfly data for Dr. GeGear’s use in restoring native plant-pollinator systems!
Dr. Robert GeGear, a Professor of Biology at UMass Dartmouth, has developed a citizen science project in which you can participate by taking photos of bumblebees and butterflies on plants. These can help his team develop strategies for restoring native plant-pollination systems. Dr. GeGear has been researching pollination systems that include our native plants and their native pollinators.
Over the past two decades, human activity has significantly degraded the integrity of pollination systems across New England. Many of our historically abundant native flowering plant and pollinator species are now locally extinct and others soon to follow if we do not take immediate conservation action. The loss of plant-pollinator systems poses a significant threat to the diversity and functioning of natural ecosystems due to the fundamental role that ‘pollination products’ play in supporting wildlife throughout the food web. However, we currently lack the ecological data needed to develop effective conservation and restoration strategies for pollination systems at risk.
In his presentation, Dr. Robert GeGear will discuss how his award-winning Beecology citizen science project at UMASS Dartmouth is utilizing conservation-focused community members throughout New England to crowdsource the collection and the implementation of research data to restore imperiled bumblebee and butterfly pollination systems. He will also highlight the Beecology ‘eco-technology’ that was developed with Worcester Polytechnic Institute, (WPI), collaborators to aid in the collection, storage, visualization, and communication of species-level ecological data on plant-pollinator systems. His talk will conclude with examples of how Beecology has significantly advanced bumblebee pollination system conservation efforts over the past 2 years and how you can become involved!
Plant Native
Dr. GeGear also reminds us of the importance of planting native host plants, not cultivars, for the larvae of insects to eat. Bird parents feed insect larvae to baby birds more than any other food!
Visit Dr. GeGear’s website, https://gegearlab.weebly.com to learn more about his research, graduate student opportunities, and access native-plant and insect lists. Using his resources, you can make smart planting decisions to enhance your patch of earth for our wildlife!
Finding Native Plants
Looking for plant ideas or a source of native plants that are responsibly sourced and grown? Check out these websites, keeping in mind that Rehoboth is in EcoRegion8 - the Eastern Temperate Forest, below 1000’ and in plant hardiness zone 6b.
www.nativeplanttrust.org/for-your-garden/buy-native-plants/ Grown in Massachusetts!
www.sudburynurserieswest.com
www.plantnative.org/nd_kytomt.htm Go to Massachusetts section.
www.nwf.org/NativePlantFinder Based on Doug Tallamy’s research, learn which plants support specific wildlife so you can make smart choices for wildlife.
