Urbanization and urban sprawl are negatively impacting biodiversity, in part, due to associated land use changes. These shifts in land use lead to the destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of habitats, contributing to the decline of native insect and pollinator diversity. To mitigate some of the negative effects cities have on biodiversity, certain cities have implemented pockets of land managed as natural areas. These areas are dispersed within urban environments to conserve habitat and facilitate the movement of organisms. Unlike traditional parks and gardens, natural areas are managed for minimal human use, comprised mainly of native vegetation, and are typically larger in land area. In our study, we assess bee movement through natural areas compared to residential areas using Megachile rotundata as a model species. We seeded 44 cavity nest traps with M. rotundata cocoons to establish bees within the traps. Following the establishment of adult female bees in the cavity traps, we displaced the bees at varying distances along a one-kilometer transect into natural and urban areas. We recorded the return rates to the cavity traps for each individual to assess bee movement through natural versus residential areas. Additionally, we recorded the abundance and diversity of parasitoids and parasites within each nesting trap, associating these findings with the type of land cover where the bees were released. This allowed us to assess the impact of land cover on tri-trophic interactions. Our results provide insights into managing natural areas more effectively for arthropod biodiversity.
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