Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

In December 2016, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) proposed that it is necessary and urgent to improve the knowledge and conservation of pollinators, highlighting the alarming loss of diversity of these insects on a global scale.

On the other hand, the Mediterranean heath or herriza of the Strait of Gibraltar region is characterized, not only by its profuse flowering, but also because it occurs mainly in autumn and winter, when there are hardly any flowers in the field. This may determine the association of the herriza with a high and unique diversity of pollinating insects of which, however, there is little knowledge.

For all these reasons, studies such as the one proposed in this project are tremendously necessary, according to the University of Cádiz.

The general objective of the project has been to explore the diversity and abundance of pollinating insects in plots of Mediterranean heathland or herriza (habitat 4030 of the habitats directive) in the Strait of Gibraltar region.

The specific objectives were as follows:

• Obtaining information on arthropods in the field of study.
• Selection of sampling plots in the study area.
• Fieldwork, through arthropod sampling in the selected plots, and analysis of the results in the laboratory.
• Analysis of the data collected, preparation of the final report and dissemination of the results.

• Analytical review of the scientific literature and any existing information on the diversity and ecology of Iberian and western Mediterranean arthropods and their association with the European dry heath.
• Selection, georeferencing and characterization of 5 representative herriza plots in the Los Alcornocales Natural Park, in which the floral phenology of the herriza and the diversity of pollinating insects have been recorded from visual censuses and direct capture of specimens.
• Systematic sampling during an annual cycle of pollinating insects in these plots by means of observation censuses, day and night traps, manual aspiration systems and butterfly catchers.
• Taxonomic identification of the 131 pollinating insects collected.
• Numerical and statistical analysis of the data to summarize the information collected for scientific and informative purposes.
• Drafting of a final scientific-technical report that includes all the scientific and dissemination activities carried out within the framework of the project.
• Preparation of an illustrated guide to pollinating insects of the herriza.
• Dissemination and communication of the project through different media and communication channels: creation of a specific website for the project, edition of an informative brochure, publications on social networks and in the media, etc. It has also participated in 4 congresses and conferences of a scientific nature: XVII Annual Meeting of the Floral Ecology Working Group of the Spanish Association of Terrestrial Ecology (ECOFLOR-AEET), V Congress on Biodiversity and Nature Conservation (CONSERBIO), IX Conference on Natural History of Cádiz and XIII Conference on Flora, Fauna and Ecology of Campo de Gibraltar.

The University of Cadiz stresses that the realization of the POLINHER project has shown how little known is the entomological fauna of the European heath in general, both its biodiversity and its ecology. Even less well known is the entomological fauna of the herriza of the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, where there has been no specific study to date. Without the presence of pollinators, the ecological processes that determine and maintain these habitats would not be possible. Therefore, the initiative highlights the urgent need for knowledge of the entomofauna of the herriza in order to design effective strategies for its conservation.

According to the entity, the main achievement of the project has been to discover the exceptional biodiversity of pollinating insects in the herriza. Thus, 131 species have been identified, many of them of high ecological and/or biogeographical uniqueness, which reinforces the message that is intended to be transmitted to society to highlight the ecological relevance of the herriza and the urgent need for its conservation.

In addition, as a final product of this project, an illustrated informative guide of pollinating insects of the herriza of the Los Alcornocales natural park has been prepared, in which the 60 most abundant and/or interesting species have been included.

Finally, with regard to dissemination and communication work, it includes the publication of 4 articles in the press and participation in 2 radio programs, 2 podcasts and 4 blogs, in addition to the publications made on social networks (Twitter and Instagram). It has also participated in 4 congresses and conferences of a scientific nature: XVII Annual Meeting of the Floral Ecology Working Group of the Spanish Association of Terrestrial Ecology (ECOFLOR-AEET), V Congress on Biodiversity and Nature Conservation (CONSERBIO), IX Conference on Natural History of Cádiz and XIII Conference on Flora, Fauna and Ecology of Campo de Gibraltar.