Undergraduate Research & Scholarships

Claudia Cruse

Pollinator Ecology in Agricultural Landscapes

Native bees are critical pollinators, and they are threatened by habitat loss, pesticides, disease, and climate change. Our research on the native bee species at Hopland Research and Extension Center investigates how pollinator diversity and abundance is impacted by modifications to agricultural landscapes. By analyzing collections made in experimental native plant hedgerows and control sites of introduced grasses over several years, we will identify specific native plants that support pollinators, catalog the diverse array of pollinators found on the site, and determine key agricultural practices to support bee diversity.

Message To Sponsor

Thank you kindly for your support of this research project. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in research this summer. I have often thought how incredible it is to be doing work I love for a cause that means so much to me. Native bees are extraordinary insects, and getting to spend weeks with them has been a joy. This research is relevant for protecting biodiversity, for increasing the resilience of food systems, and for the ecological health of California as a whole. I feel much better prepared for the research I hope to do in the future, and I deeply appreciate your generosity.