How city traits affect taxonomic and functional diversity of urban wild bee communities: insights from a worldwide analysis

Abstract Land-use change, including urbanization, is known to affect wild bee (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) diversity. However, while previous studies have focused on differences across local urbanization gradients, the best of our knowledge, none among cities at a wide geographical scale. We here used published data for communities in 55 globe, order explore how city traits (population density, size, climate and land-use parameters) both taxonomic (diversity, distinctness, dominance) functional (body nesting strategy, sociality, plant host specialization) profile urban communities. By controlling sample size sampling effort, we found that bigger few parasitic oligolectic species, along with more above-ground-nesting bees. Cities highly fragmented green areas present lower proportion species higher social large-bodied impervious surfaces seem below-ground-nesting Hotter richness diversity, diversity highest intermediate precipitation values. Overall, it seems high levels urbanization—through habitat modification “heat island” effect—lead strong simplification cities. Our results may help explain previously observed variable response some community gradients.