Ecological reliance, biodiversity and pollination potentials in Bangalore urban gardens

Urban agriculture is an ancient concept that is gaining momentum in the tier II metro cities in connection with urban renewal projects and efforts to mediate urban food deserts. These agriculture efforts represent a potential habitat for pollinator communities within the urban landscape. Pollinator communities are threatened by urban landscape transformation, and bee species, in particular, are in a state of global decline due to various stressors. Urban agriculture has the potential to sustain both human and ecological communities, and the pollinators that visit gardens may provide pollination to plant species in the surrounding area. We investigated the influence of urban land use on pollinator populations in Bangalore to (i) quantify pollinators visiting urban gardens and (ii) compare pollinator frequency and occurrences among urban gardens, vacant lots (abandoned with no management) and manicured lawns. Three sites were chosen around the Bangalore, an urban garden, a lawn, and a vacant lot. Phytometers were used to monitor the frequency of pollination within the sites. We discovered that the amount of pollinator frequency increased with the flora diversity of the lots. With the manicured lawn having the fewest pollinator visits and the managed urban garden having the most pollinator visit. We saw a relationship between human landscaping and the pollinator communities. From this data we have a better understanding of the effect of the urban landscape on pollinators that will lead to a better use of vacant lots and urban spaces within the city of Bangalore.