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NZ's ultra-rare limestone plants need native bees

Publicly released:
New Zealand
Melanostoma fasciatum visiting G. calcis (left), and Leioproctus pango visiting C. hollowayi (right). Photos: Sharn Milliken.
Melanostoma fasciatum visiting G. calcis (left), and Leioproctus pango visiting C. hollowayi (right). Photos: Sharn Milliken.

The Waitaki Valley River in Otago is home to plants that thrive in chalky, limestone-rich soils. However, they're critically threatened, with one example, Holloway's broom, having around 30 adult plants in the wild. Pollination is incredibly important if these rare plant species are to survive, and scientists found that rare native bees, hoverflies, and some fly species were helping the plants to reproduce.

Media release

From:

Journal/
conference: New Zealand Journal of Ecology
Research:Paper
Organisation/s: University of Otago, Department of Conservation
Funder: This research was funded by the Department of Zoology, University of Otago and the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
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