Bee Diversity in Costa Rica: A National Survey of Coffee Agroecosystems

Coffea arabica is a globally significant crop that benefits from pollination by bees. Coffee is an essential crop in Costa Rica, but market forces and climate change are increasing pressure on small farmers, making bee pollination services even more important. However, the rarity of regional and national surveys of pollinators in Costa Rica make it difficult to understand their distributions and conserve bees populations on a large scale. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comprehensive field study to better understand the factors shaping coffee pollinator communities across the country. We surveyed 140 sites across five coffee regions in Costa Rica and analyzed environmental and management factors as potential drivers of pollinator diversity and composition. Across all regions, we identified 58 bee species from nine tribes and three families. We found differences in abundance and richness among regions. Spring precipitation was significantly associated with pollinator richness, and shade had a marginal effect on abundance. We found no significant differences in community composition among regions. However, we identified some species, including Bombus ephippiatus and Nannotrigona perilampoides, that were indicator species for certain regions. Despite the economic and cultural importance of coffee, this is the first nation-wide study of coffee pollinator communities in Costa Rica. Findings from this study could help coffee farmers identify and manage bee habitat to the benefit of both farmers and pollinators, including protecting nesting habitat and adopting shaded coffee agroecosystems.