Taxonomic voucher specimens for study of bee communities in intensively managed Douglas-fir forests in the Oregon Coast Range

Abstract

Understanding how pollinators respond to anthropogenic land use is key to conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services, but few studies have addressed this topic in coniferous forests, particularly those managed intensively for wood production. This study reports on voucher material generated as part of Zitomer et al. (2023), that assessed changes in wild bee communities with time since harvest in 60 intensively managed Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stands in the Oregon Coast Range across a gradient in stand age spanning a typical harvest rotation (0-37 years post-harvest). We additionally assessed relationships of bee diversity and community composition to relevant habitat features, including availability of floral resources and nest sites, understory vegetation characteristics, and composition of the surrounding landscape. Specimens were collected using a combination of passive sampling methods-blue vane traps and white, blue, and yellow bowl traps- and hand-netting and were identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level by A.R. Moldenke and L.R. Best. Four hundred and ten taxonomic voucher specimens were deposited into the Oregon State Arthropod Collection (Accession# OSAC_AC_2023_01_09-001-01) to serve as a reference for future research.