some like it hot
Deserts are challenging, but rewarding, environments in which to study bees. It is generally agreed that xeric areas harbor the highest bee richness in terms of both genera and species, and this enables researchers to answer their questions in the context of larger, more complex communities. Further, the many protected areas in the southwestern US serve as both exemplars of minimally-disturbed bee communities and also as points of comparison to increasingly-developed areas. However, desert fieldwork is complicated by myriad factors, including drought, localized precipitation stochasticity, fluctuations in onset of bloom and variable floral resource availability, and the sheer number of bee and plant species present, to name just a few.
I have spent five months of my PhD studies living in the desert while collecting and studying bees. Focal areas include the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, as well as the semi-arid Colorado Plateau. I have also managed and completed funded projects in Death Valley National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Joshua Tree National Park. Through my efforts, I have become well-acquainted with the dynamics of desert fieldwork in both solo and team contexts.
I have spent five months of my PhD studies living in the desert while collecting and studying bees. Focal areas include the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts, as well as the semi-arid Colorado Plateau. I have also managed and completed funded projects in Death Valley National Park, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and Joshua Tree National Park. Through my efforts, I have become well-acquainted with the dynamics of desert fieldwork in both solo and team contexts.