Combining virtual and in-place field crews to model pollinator species shift in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

Abstract

Insect pollinators (bees and butterflies) face global challenges as climate change impacts species occurrence (or extinction) within managed and protected areas. While species decline is predicted for invertebrate species, especially in sensitive ecosystems such as high alpine systems, little is known about species responses to climate change. This study seeks to understand the impact of climate change on pollinators in high elevation ecosystems, specifically within Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. These parks are connected protected areas in the United States that act as a large reservoir for conserving species, including pollinators. Students performing research amidst the COVID-19 pandemic were divided into two virtual teams (bug team and climate team) to assess historic climate data, natural history collections and plant/pollinator data from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Each team was tasked with addressing the larger question of climate change impacts on pollinators within protected areas while also gaining interpersonal, collaborative learning skills through their experience. This paper highlights two case studies tied to pollinator decline. The first assesses citizen science and natural history collection databases to predict and field test species occurrence within the parks. The second identifies suitable habitats for species occurrence locations. Lastly, this paper emphasizes the learning outcomes students had from virtual and hybrid field settings and offers suggestions for applications towards field-based research efforts.