The effects of plant diversity and origin on abundance and diversity of syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) in small urban gardens

Gardens have emerged as a key habitat resource for pollinators in cities, but more research is needed to determine the optimal garden characteristics for maximizing native pollinator diversity. Syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are abundant generalist fly pollinators that have received less study than other pollinators in urban gardens. In this study, we investigated whether flowering plant diversity and the presence of native plants were related to syrphid abundance and diversity in urban street gardens. Over a 2-month period, we sampled 12 small public gardens in a residential urban area to explore correlations between plant and syrphid assemblages. Though syrphid abundance and richness varied among gardens, neither floral richness nor the presence of native flowers was correlated with syrphid abundance or diversity. Beyond plant diversity and origin, other characteristics may be more important to syrphid visitation at the garden scale. Better understanding the role of garden characteristics among the complex factors shaping urban syrphid assemblages will offer valuable insights for the improvement of pollinator conservation strategies城市园林已成为城市传粉昆虫的关键栖息资源，但目前仍需更多研究以明确可最大化本土传粉昆虫多样性的最优园林配置特征。食蚜蝇（Diptera: Syrphidae）是一类分布广泛的广食性蝇类传粉者，但其在城市园林中的研究程度却不及其他传粉昆虫类群。本研究以城市街道园林为研究对象，探究了其中开花植物多样性与本土植物的存在与否是否与食蚜蝇的种群丰度及多样性存在关联。研究团队在为期2个月的周期内，对城市居住区中的12处小型公共园林开展了采样调查，以解析植物群落与食蚜蝇群落间的关联模式。尽管不同园林间食蚜蝇的种群丰度与物种丰富度存在差异，但无论是开花植物物种丰富度，还是本土花卉的存在与否，均未与食蚜蝇的种群丰度及多样性呈现相关性。在园林尺度下，除植物多样性与植物起源类型外，其他特征可能对食蚜蝇的访花行为更为关键。深入解析园林特征在塑造城市食蚜蝇群落的诸多复杂因素中所扮演的角色，将为优化传粉昆虫保护策略提供极具价值的理论参考。