Potential of an Algorithm in Assessing Attractiveness of Flowering Plants to Bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Their Subsequent Protection as Pollinators¹

A review of the opportunities to support pollinator populations in South African cities

“…That different species of flowers are preferentially utilized by anthophiles has been investigated across several urban studies ( Baldock et al, 2015 ; Garbuzov, Alton & Ratnieks, 2017 ; Garbuzov & Ratnieks, 2014 , 2015 ; Lowenstein, Matteson & Minor, 2019 ; Martins, Gonzalez & Lechowicz, 2017 ; Michołap, Kelm & Sikora, 2018 ; Yang et al, 2019 ). In North America, one third of urban flowering plants are not visited by pollinators, and of those that are, 40% are visited more frequently than others ( Lowenstein, Matteson & Minor, 2019 ).…”

“…To address this phenomenon, several international studies have identified subsets of flowers that are classified as “highly” attractive to pollinators ( Garbuzov, Alton & Ratnieks, 2017 ). These lists provide scientifically verified recommendations of flower resources for a city or region ( Garbuzov, Alton & Ratnieks, 2017 ; Garbuzov & Ratnieks, 2014 , 2015 ; Michołap, Kelm & Sikora, 2018 ; Yang et al, 2019 ). Similar studies in the South African context are rare where the focus is on rather to study mutualisms, pollination syndromes, and flower resource use in natural landscapes ( Goldblatt & Manning, 2006 ; Johnson & Midgley, 2001 ; Johnson & Steiner, 2003 ; Johnson & Wester, 2017 ; Raguso, 2020 ).…”