Initial study for bee ecological spatial planning in Vienna

Wild and honey bees are among the most important pollinators. Land use change and habitat degradation are partly responsible for the decline of bee diversity. In landscapes with low and species-poor floral resources, interspecific competition for food between honey bees and wild bees may increase. Honey bees are particularly efficient in finding and collecting mass-flowering crops; but during low mass-flowerings, food may be also collected in semi-natural habitats or protected areas. High honey bee densities low proximity between apiaries and protected areas and low food supply competition for floral resources may increase locally. Wild bee species with honeybee-like ecological traits (mouth part size, body size), may be exposed to greater resource overlap and thus increased competition, as similar food plants are used. The planned initial study aims to identify possible high resource overlap between wild bees and honey bees in (protected) areas with a high proportion of rare bee species (i.e., bee diversity hotspots) in Vienna. Since Vienna is home to 492 species of wild bees, almost half of all Austrian species, including many rare species, the city has a high conservation responsibility. Based on recent literature and interviews with experts, an inventory of bee diversity hotspots is made. Ecological traits are compiled for the species and intersected with data on honey bee densities and habitat quality in the vicinity of the sites to estimate the potential increased resource overlap with honey bees. From a bee conservation perspective, the goal is not to define beekeeping-free areas, but to define situationally appropriate bee ecology spatial planning that prioritizes habitat quality improvement and reduces pressure on sensitive areas.