Ichha Roka
The Shey Phoksundo National Park (SPNP) has huge habitat alteration due to climate change and other anthropogenic causes such as changing land use pattern, rapid urbanization, increasing trends of pesticides use, destruction of flowering plants while collecting the Yarsaghumba (Cordyceps sinensis) and other herbals. This project aims to explore the spatial distribution, assessment of conservation threats, and popularization for conservation of Bumblebees with local peoples. The extensive field survey will be done across the SPNP to observe the bumblebee species. The outcome of this project will be baseline information about the formulation of action plan for Bumblebees conservation.
Bumblebee. ©Ichha Roka.
Bumblebees are social insects and important pollinators of both natural and agricultural ecosystem. They are especially efficient pollinators for Leguminosae and Solanaceae, which benefit from their particular ability in buzz pollination. Over 250 species of the bumblebee are known throughout the world but recent trends shows the worldwide decline of Bumblebees that presents a serious threat to maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem service in many parts of the world. Global decline of Bumble Bees have been linked to a wide range of factors including habitat loss, climate change, pathogens, use of pesticides and agricultural intensification. The worldwide decline and local extinctions of Bumblebees have raised a need of species listing and conservation also from Nepal.
Some, 43 species of Bumblebees have been recorded from different parts of Nepal but the National basis species records including proposed study area is still vastly unknown. Therefore, it is urgently needed for the inventory of species, preparation of baseline information, ecology and popularisation of this important pollinator with farmers’ scientific communities and conservation policy making for sustainable pollination and ecosystem service. Therefore, the aim of this research is to find the spatial distribution, threats assessment and conservation of Bumblebees in Shey Phoskshundo National Park.