Insect pollinator population response to bobwhite habitat management in Kansas and Missouri

As with many grassland-dependent bird species, northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) populations are declining, in large part, due to habitat loss. In recent decades, conservation interest in managing habitat for bobwhites has gained momentum, especially because bobwhite habitat also supports a diverse community of non-target vertebrate species (e.g., songbirds, reptiles). However, the extent to which bobwhite habitat management might benefit non-target invertebrates of interest, especially pollinators, remains unknown. We evaluated the effects of four bobwhite conservation practices: 1) brush management, 2) prescribed fire, 3) prescribed grazing, and 4) wildlife habitat planting. These practices were implemented through the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). We surveyed pollinator communities on 106 managed private lands in Kansas and Missouri from May-August 2024. Distance models of transect data on bees revealed that bee density was greatest in wildlife habitat planting (159 bees/ha [95% CI: 157-185]) and lowest in prescribed fire sites (79 bees/ha [95% CI: 65-95]) but implementation status (pre/post) did not affect bee density. Floral density, which drives bee density, was improved by treatment in wildlife habitat planting sites (+1,731 flowers/100m²) but reduced when prescribed grazing was implemented (-24,102 flowers/100m²). Although northern bobwhite populations may respond robustly to some NRCS conservation practices, benefits to pollinators are mixed and not uniformly improved by current implementation practices. Enhancements that increase or maintain floral resource quality are most likely to yield co-benefits to bobwhites and insect pollinators.