Recipient Organization
STATE UNIV OF NEW YORK
(N/A)
SYRACUSE,NY 13210
Performing Department
Forest & Natural Resources Management
Non Technical Summary
Introduction and BackgroundPollinators - insects (particularly bees, but also including flies, wasps, beetles, butterflies and moths) and, to lesser extents in North American, birds and mammals- provide critical ecosystem service (pollination!) and function (pollinate!). A large portion of plants - including common forbs, shrubs and trees - require pollinators in order to produce viable fruit and seed (some plants, such as grasses, depend primarily on wind pollination). Many of the near 20,000 flowering plant species in the United States depend on pollinators to reproduce (Pollinator Health Task Force (PHTF) 2015). There are over 4,000 native bee species in the United States alone that contribute to pollination (Moisset and Buchmann 2011, cited in PHTF 2015). The attributed value of crops in the United States that are directly dependent on insect pollination was estimated at $15.12 billion in 2009, including an estimated $11.68 billion of crop value directly attributable to honey bees alone (Calderone 2012, cited in PHTF 2015).Global declines in both native and managed pollinator populations, with highly visible decreases in honey bees, bumble bees, and monarch butterflies, have brought into focus the importance of pollinator conservation (PHTF 2015). Declines in pollinators have been speculatively related to changes in habitat extent and structure, pests and pathogens, pesticides and toxins present in the environment, and nutritional quality of forage, among other factors, with the impacts of these factors individually, and the interactions among them, not well understood (PHTF 2015).In 2014, President Obama issued the Presidential Memorandum "Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators," establishing a Task Force to develop a Strategy to promote the health of honey bees and other pollinators (PHTF 2015). The Strategy had three overarching goals (PHTF 2015):1) to reduce honey bee losses;2) to increase the Eastern population of the monarch butterfly; and3) to restore or enhance 7 million acres of land for pollinator habitat.To achieve these goals through evidence-based decision-making, The Pollinator Research Action Plan (Action Plan) (see PHTF 2015), a stand-alone component of the Strategy, was developed as a roadmap for Federally-supported pollinator health research. The priorities in the Action Plan were divided into five main action areas (modified after PHTF 2015):1. Setting a Baseline: Assessing the status of pollinator populations via inventories to establish baseline conditions, with subsequent monitoring and longitudinal studies to detect deviations from the baseline, and causes of those deviations.2. Assessing Environmental Stressors: Many individual environmental factors have the potential to impact pollinator populations. These impacts will vary by species and can be mitigated or exacerbated by co-occurring environmental factors. These factors should be examined individually in controlled laboratory experiments, but should also be explored into how these factors interact with each other in real-world situations through longitudinal studies of pollinator health.3. Restoring Habitat: Pollinator populations depend directly on plant populations for nutrition, and, in turn, plants depend on pollinators for reproduction. There is much more to learn about the relationships between plants and their pollinators. Research should focus on understanding the spatial and temporal relationships between plants and their pollinators, and identifying habitat with the highestpotential for pollinator benefits.4. Understanding and Supporting Stakeholders: The choices that land managers and beekeepers make depend on a complex web of cultural and economic values. Research will explore the costs and benefits to land managers and the public of adopting pollinator-friendly practices.5. Curating and Sharing Knowledge: Long-term monitoring and sound research require an extensive and well-curated knowledge base.The current research project is one of two companion EPRI projects on pollinators and electric transmission lines that will contribute to the main areas being pursued in support of the federal Action Plan by various governmental and private institutions.Electric transmission line rights-of-way, also known as "powerline corridors" have been proposed as important pollinator habitat (Wojcik and Buchman 2012). These linear corridors provide 160,000 miles (230-765 kV operations) and -10,000,000 acres of quasi-permanent early successional habitat that is likely more important for pollinators than people generally realize. Yet, little research has been done on pollinators and powerline corridors. In fact, it seems that only three science-based studies have been published (refereed journals) on pollinators and electric transmission line ROWs.Smallidge and Leopold (1996) observed that ROW vegetation can, by happenstance, create important habitat for the federally listed as endanged Karner Blue Butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samue/is) in New York. Bramble et al. (1997) showed that a variety of different herbicide and mechanical vegetation management approaches provided for similarly rich buttefly population on powerline corridors management in Pennsylvania.Wagner et al. (2014) found 163 species of bees on 19 ROW sites in southeastern Connecticut, including one globally rare bee, Epeo/oides pilosula (Cresson) (Apidae: Osirini), formerly thought to be extirpated in the United States. These few (3) studies are enough to show the possible importance of powerline corridors in pollinator habitat and dynamics. But, many researchable questions remain with powerline corridors that are alignable with the federal government's Pollinator Research Action Plan (see PHTF 2015), including the following two basic questions.Question No. 1: What is the baseline diversity of pollinators on powerline corridors?Question No. 2: What can be done to management for pollinator habitat on powerline corridors?Given the importance of this topic, and the fact that little is known about pollinators and electric transmission line ROWs, a full suite of studies is needed to investigate the current state of ROWs and vegetation management, and future opportunities to improve and promote pollinator habitat and dynamics. Classically, studies set to investigate a new topic (or little studied) can productively proceed along a structured path of research and development work, starting with an assessment of the current state of knowledge and practice (literature review and industry survey), and then proceeding through combinations of retrospective and observational studies, culminating in manipulative studies looking to establish clear cause and effect relationships (Figure 1) (also see conceptual paper on this topic by: Eberhardt and Thomas 1991 ).The current project, and this "SOURCING STATEMENT OF WORK", is aligned with the middle and later steps of research and development work: retrospective, observational and manipulative field experiment studies. A second companion research anddevelopment project is being conducted with EPRI that builds a current state of knowledge and practice via a literature review and an industry survey.Awarded Start Date: 5/16/16End Date: 16-MAY-2021Sponsor: Electric Power Research Institute
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Objectives1) Describe how pollinator habitat varies across electric transmission line rights-of-way (ROWs) (specific sources of varation to be investigated: landscape- state, ecoregion; surrounding land use; vegetation management- historical and 3 contemporary, mechanical versus chemical; site- land type including riparian versus upland, xeric to hydric; vegetation type - cover types, including mixturesof trees, shrubs, forbs, ferns and grasses)2) Describe how pollinator diversity varies across a variety of electric transmission line ROWs a. Same study sites as (1)3) Relate (1) and (2)4) Develop a variety of vegetation management practices that can be used to enhance pollinator diversity through manipulations of habitat on ROWsa. Based on (1) through (3) (and including the separate R&D work on a literature review and industry survey)5) Test vegetation management practices from (4) for cost and effectiveness in a manipulative field experiment6) Develop protocol for the establishment of field experiments on ROWs across the United States
Project Methods
1. Retrospective Study #1: Pollinator habitat changes across a powerline corridor in upstate New York with different herbicide treatment schemes This Retrospective Study and Task #2 is associated with Objectives #1, #2 and #3.Previous research on plant diversity on a 15-mile section of powerline ROW in upstate New York will be retrospectively used to describe how pollinator food sources (flowers and other plant parts) change in presence and abundance with four different historic herbicide treatment schemes: basal versus foliar methods with growth regulator herbicides applied to remove only trees or both trees and shrubs.These treatments were operationally applied over two treatment cycles (1984 and 1988) over large ROW plots, each - 1 acre each in size. Plant community diversity was measured in 1999 and 2000 by a Master of Science student and companion research team from SUNY-ESF (Whittier, H.L. 2003. Vascular plant species diversity on an electric transmission right-of-way in upstate New York. Master of Science Thesis, State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY). Two hundred and seventy (270) total vascular plants were identified across the study area. While plant diversity as measured by various indices did not differ among treatments, plant community composition differed among treatments as measured by importance value of life forms. Varied patterns in plant community composition may be associated with differences in potential pollinator habitat.2. Retrospective Study #2: Plant community and pollinator diversity on powerline corridors in Ohio treated to remove trees, invasives, or all woody plants This Retrospective Study and Task #3 is associated with Objectives #1, #2 and #3. In 2013 and 2014, EPRI and FirstEnergy initiated two manipulative field experiments on Cuyahoga Valley National Park and Cleveland Metro Parks electric transmissionline rights-of-way (ROWs) in Northeast, Ohio, to test the effects of vegetation management on invasive, exotic (IE) plant species presence and dynamics. In 2013, three replications of three treatments were operationally applied to -1-acre areas using growth regulator herbicides: 1) remove trees only; 2) remove trees and woody invasives plants; and 3) remove all woody plants. A similar experiment was installedin 2014 using biosynthesis inhibitor herbicides. First year results clearly showed that herbicides can be used to control common, woody, IE plant species- such as glossy buckthorn, honeysuckles, autumn olive and multiflora rose. Plant community composition was significantly changed with trec;~tment, including a large change in the forb I grass mix from one experiment compared to the other. End of treatment cycle measurements of plant communities will occur in 2016 for the first experiment and 2017 for the second. In addition to continuing with basic, life form measurement of plant community responses, a much more detailed floristics inventory will beconducted in both years, as well as sampling of insect pollinators. 2.1. Field measurements: floristics inventory In summer 2016 for the first experiment, and 2017 for the second experiment, a detailed sample of vascular plant richness and abundance will be made in midsummer using fixed area quadrats, line intersect, and timed-meander methods.2.2. Field measurements: insect pollinator inventoryIn summer 2016 for the first experiment, and 2017 for the second experiment, a detailed sample of insect pollinator richness and abundance will be made in June, July and August using a set of measurement techniques, including pan trapping, watching (personal observation, photographs and films), and netting.2.3. Data analysesPlant richness and abundance measures will be combined into various diversity indices for each of the nine plots from each experiment. Treatment effects on plant diversity will be tested using analysis of variance. Insect richness and abundance measures will be combined into various diversity indices for each of the nine plots from each experiment. Treatment effects on pollinator diversity will be tested using analysis of variance. Insect diversity will be related to plant community characteristics using regression techniques and multivariate analyses.3. Observational Study #1: Plant community and pollinator diversity on powerline corridors in upstate New YorkThis Observational Study #1 and Task #3 is associated with Objectives #1, #2 and #3. In upstate New York, the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation began a long-term vegetation management research project in 1982 with the clearing of the VolneyMarcy right-of-way (ROW) (hence, the name "The Volney-Marcy Project") (see Retrospective Study #1 as it is the same site). Modeled after the Gamelands 33study in terms of vision and general application, the Volney-Marcy Project represents one of the few 30+ year old ROW vegetation management studies ongoing in the United States. In 2010-2011, SUNY-ESF and National Grid (who took over operations from Niagara Mohawk) initiated a 4th cycle of treatments (past treatment dates: 1982-1983, 1988, 2000, 201 0). In addition to the cycles of herbicidetreatments described above in Retrospective Study #1, seven plots were periodically mowed to control vegetation (no herbicide use) (1988, 2000, 201 0), resulting in significant changes in the plant community compared to the herbicide treated plots. The study section of line extends for 15 miles and across two ecoregions. Adjacent to the Volney-Marcy is the operationally-managed 45-year-old Fitzpatrick-Edic 345 kV line operated by the New York Power Authority. It was last treated with herbicides in 2012 (and will be treated in Summer 2016). Thirty (30) observations of plant communities and associated insect pollinators will be made each year in Summer 2016 and 2017, half on the Volney-Marcy paired with another set of observation on the Fitzpatrick-Edic line, to test how pollinator habitat varies between and across these electric transmission line rights-of-way (ROWs) over time (2 years) and space (two ecoregions). Three observations will be overlain on select long-term research plots with five different treatment histories (since 1984 for herbicide plots, and 1988 for mowed plots): 1) basal herbicide method to remove trees; 2) basal herbicide method to remove all woody plants; 3) foliar herbicide method to remove trees; 4) foliar herbicide method to remove all woody plants; and 5) mowing all plants. A companion plot will be established on the adjacent operationally managed Fitzpatrick-Edic line.3.1. Field measurements: floristics inventoryA detailed sample of vascular plant richness and abundance will be made in 1-acre plots that extend across each ROW in summers 2016 and 2017 using fixed area quadrats, line intersect, and timed-meander methods.3.2. Field measurements: insect pollinator inventoryA detailed sample of insect pollinator richness and abundance will be made in the same 1-acre plots as in Subtask 4.1 in June, July and August 2016 and 2017 using a set of measurement techniques, including pan trapping, watching (personal observation, photographs and films), and netting.3.3. Data analysesPlant richness and abundance measures will be combined into various diversity indices for each of the 30 plots from each year. Insect richness and abundance measures will also be combined into various diversity indices for each of the 30 plots from each year. Plant community characteristics will be related to insect pollinators using various combinations of regression techniques and multivariate analyses.