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A new species of wild bee was discovered by chance in the Alexander River
A study conducted by researchers from the Hebrew University, which dealt with the restoration of sandy habitats of wild pollinators in the Nahal Alexander National Park, discovered a wild bee that was not previously recognized, and was given the Israeli name: Lasioglossum dorchini
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Ziv Reinstein
Tuesday, 29 December 2020, 11:26
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A new species of wild bee (Lasioglossum dorchini) was discovered by chance, in a study conducted by Prof. Yael Mendlik and doctoral student Carmit Levy, who dealt with the restoration of sandy habitats of wild pollinators in the Nahal Alexander National Park.
Wild pollinators, wild bees in particular, provide pollination services essential for both agricultural crops and human nutrition, as well as the existence of wild plants in ecosystems.
However, in many places in the world there is a significant decrease in the variety and abundance of pollinators, such as bees, with one of the main threats to wild pollinators being the loss and change of habitats.
Therefore, habitat rehabilitation is one of the important tools in conserving pollinators, and biodiversity in general.
A study conducted by a team of researchers from the Hebrew University examines the effects of the restoration efforts of a rare habitat in the Sharon area.
During the study was found, quite by chance, a new species of wild bee that was not known before.
The findings were recently published in the scientific journal Belgian Journal of Entomology.
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A new species of wild bee that was not known before.
Lasioglossum dorchini (Photo: Belgian Journal of Entomology, Alain Pauly)
Wild bees are a major pollinator of wild plants (Photo: Belgian Journal of Entomology, Alain Pauly)
Many changes were found in the bee company
In Israel, sandy habitats along the coastal plain have been severely damaged by various development activities, including planting eucalyptus.
The eucalyptus trees created a living environment that significantly altered the habitat and made it difficult for wild bee activity, which is a major pollinator of wild plants.
Several years ago, attempts were made to rehabilitate the habitat in the Nahal Alexander National Park by the Nature and Parks Authority and ecologist Aviv Avishar, which cut down some of the many eucalyptus trees in the area, in addition to complementary treatment of topsoil removal and sowing of wild plants.
In the current study, Prof. Yael Mendlik from the Department of Entomology at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of the Hebrew University, together with doctoral student Carmit Levy, examined for five years the effects of these rehabilitation attempts on pollinator habitat quality and the variety of wild bees in the area.
The researchers used classic insect and plant survey tools in the field - they captured insects with the help of nets (butterfly nets), and traps of various types, and made plant cuts documenting the plant species, their flowering amount and possible nesting substrates for bees.
Carmit Levy: "We found that there are many significant changes both in the characteristics of the habitat and the food and nesting resources it provides for the bees, and in the bee company itself. In general, one can be optimistic - one can see an improvement in the wild bee company's condition.
The garden where the new wild bee was found, near Nahal Alexander (Photo: courtesy of the Hebrew University)
The new bee is named after the Israeli bee researcher Dr. Ahik Dorchin (Photo: Belgian Journal of Entomology, Alain Pauly)
"The discovery is important for the production of information for pollination services and nature conservation"
In addition to the optimistic observations, the researchers recorded another significant achievement - the discovery of a new species of wild bee that was not known until now, which is probably unique to the sands of the coastal plain in Israel.
The new species of bee has been identified and defined by taxonomist Dr. Alan Pauli of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels, which specializes in the identification and definition of bee species. The chosen bee name is Lasioglossum dorchini after Israeli bee researcher Dr. Ahik Dorchin.
"Beyond the basic importance and the accompanying excitement for identifying new species that we have not yet known," explains Prof. Yael Mendelik, "this discovery is also important in the application context, strengthening our ability to research bee companies and produce meaningful information for pollination and nature conservation services."
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