Urbanization and pollinator biodiversity: assessing bee communities in green spaces of Valparaíso, Chile

• Grant number: 25/19756-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 15, 2025
• End date: January 14, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Ecosystems Ecology
• Principal Investigator: João Carlos de Castro Pena
• Grantee: João Francisco Ponticelli Tottene
• Supervisor: Francisco e Fonturbel
• Host Institution: Centro de Estudos Ambientais (CEA). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV), Chile
• Associated to the scholarship: 25/00004-3 - How do Nature-based Solutions influence urban biodiversity? Monitoring the bee and wasp community on a university campus and across a medium-sized tropical city, BP.IC

Abstract

Urbanization is one of the primary forces transforming natural ecosystems, often resulting in biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystem services. However, recent studies indicate that well-managed urban green spaces can serve as crucial refuges for pollinators, such as bees, which play a vital role in maintaining plant diversity and ensuring food security. Heterogeneous urban environments may provide microhabitats capable of sustaining pollinator populations despite environmental pressures. In the Mediterranean-type ecosystem of central Chile, native bee fauna is highly endemic, yet their ecology in urban areas remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate bee communities in urban green spaces of the Great Valparaíso area, analyzing how floral composition, green space type, and surrounding urbanization levels influence their presence and abundance. The research will apply a methodology previously used in Brazil, enabling cross-regional comparisons and contributing to a broader understanding of how urbanization affects bee diversity in Latin American contexts.