Alberta Bees and Linear Forest Disturbances

By Connor Nelson

When it comes to maintaining bee diversity in Alberta, one of the most important considerations is the conservation of undisturbed habitat. From grasslands to foothills to forests, our local bee species rely on natural environments to provide the resources they need to thrive. However, in Alberta, massive swaths of land have been disturbed by a wide variety of human developments from several major industries. If the diversity of our local bee communities is to be conserved, it is vital that we understand how bees are responding to these disturbances, so that we can better target our conservation efforts where they are most needed.

A recent study from researchers at the University of Alberta aimed to do just that. This study was focused on a specific type of industrial forest disturbance – seismic lines, also known as cut lines. These disturbances are narrow, clear cut corridors that criss-cross Alberta’s forests in high densities. In fact, there is very little forested habitat in Alberta that does not have seismic lines! Previous research on seismic lines has shown that they can drastically influence the movement of caribou, wolves, and even butterflies.

The researchers found that bee communities prefer seismic lines. By removing mature trees, seismic lines create early successional forest habitat, which tends to be warmer and have more floral and nesting resources for local bee species. Bees also tend to use these lines as travel highways, potentially expanding their foraging range because of these forest fragmentations. Although it is still unclear how seismic lines affect bee communities on a broader scale, this research gives us a window into how Alberta bees are responding to industrial forest disturbances.