BeeWalk dataset 2008-25

DESCRIPTIONFocussed on bees in the genus Bombus (bumblebees) and Apis mellifera (honeybees), with occasional records of other bee species. No particular intentional bias in habitats surveyed.GEOGRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONThe BeeWalk survey covers Great Britain (but not Northern Ireland). Recording effort is biased towards Somerset, South Wales and the Scottish central belt as a result of publicity pushes, but East Anglia, Cornwall, north/mid Wales and north-west Scotland are somewhat under-represented in the dataset. Records within this dataset are generally collected at 100m resolution.PURPOSERecords were collected with the aim of better understanding the abundance and distribution of British bumblebee species, and creating an index of abundance in the same way as has been done for butterflies with the UKBMS dataset.DATA QUALITYData are collected by volunteers whose identification abilities will vary. Frequent bumblebee ID training courses are provided for volunteers, identification resources are provided on the project website, and the category 'indeterminate bumblebee' is provided as a catch-all for bees where the identification is uncertain. Trials carried out as part of the NPPMF project have found that volunteer's error rate using the BeeWalk methodology is not significantly different to that of an expert. Photographs and/or specimens are not required for each sighting, but unusual sightings (rare or difficult-to-identify species) are checked by referral to the recorder unless they are known to be experts. The dataset has been validated and verified using the NBN Record Cleaner, and as a consequence some erroneous grid references have been corrected and records outside their range have been checked and confirmed by an expert after referral to the original recorder, or downgraded to 'indeterminate bumblebee' where no evidence could be provided. The cryptic Bombus lucorum complex are treated as B. lucorum sensu lato, and only queens and males of B. terrestris & B. lucorum (sl) are recorded to species (indistinguishable workers are treated as the aggregate species terrestris/lucorum).METHODSVolunteers walk a set transect on a monthly basis between March and October (inclusive), recording all bumblebees seen within a 4m x 4m 2m 'recording box' in front of the recorder (see www.beewalk.org.uk for full details). Photographs are not submitted in support of all records, but netting and photographing bumblebees to help ID is encouraged. BBCT also run a series of ID training events aimed at BeeWalkers to upskill volunteers. Records submitted are validated and their distribution verified using the NBN Record Cleaner with verification rules from the Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society. Records which fail verification or validation checks are referred back to recorders for further evidence.

数据集概述：本数据集聚焦于熊蜂属（Bombus）昆虫（熊蜂，bumblebees）与西方蜜蜂（Apis mellifera，honeybees），同时包含少量其他蜂类的观测记录，调查过程未针对受访生境设置刻意偏向性。
地理覆盖说明：BeeWalk调查覆盖大不列颠岛（不含北爱尔兰），受宣传推广活动影响，本数据集的采样覆盖存在偏向性，主要集中于萨默塞特郡、南威尔士及苏格兰中部地带，而东安格利亚、康沃尔、威尔士北部/中部以及苏格兰西北部的样本代表性略有不足，本数据集的记录普遍采用100米分辨率的格网坐标。
项目目标：本数据集的采集旨在深入探究英国本土熊蜂物种的种群丰度与分布格局，并参照英国蝴蝶监测计划（UKBMS，UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme）的成熟范式，构建熊蜂种群丰度指数。
数据质量管控说明：本数据集由志愿者采集，志愿者的物种鉴定能力存在个体差异；项目方为志愿者提供高频次的熊蜂鉴定培训课程，同时在项目官网开放鉴定参考资源，并设置“未定名熊蜂”分类作为鉴定结果存疑个体的兜底类别。作为NPPMF项目组成部分开展的对照试验显示，采用BeeWalk方法的志愿者鉴定错误率与专业鉴定人员无显著差异。单次观测无需强制提交影像资料或标本，但特殊观测记录（罕见或难以鉴定的物种）需提交给原始记录者复核，除非提交者为公认的专业鉴定专家。本数据集已通过NBN Record Cleaner工具完成校验与验证，据此修正了部分错误的格网坐标；同时对超出物种自然分布范围的记录进行溯源复核：经原始记录者确认无误的记录予以保留，无法提供有效佐证的记录则降级为“未定名熊蜂”。对于隐存的熊蜂属Bombus lucorum复合群，本数据集统一按广义B. lucorum（B. lucorum sensu lato）处理；仅熊蜂B. terrestris与广义B. lucorum的蜂王和雄蜂可鉴定到物种水平，无法区分的工蜂则归入复合群“terrestris/lucorum”。
调查方法：志愿者于每年3月至10月（含首尾月份）每月沿固定样带开展调查，记录观测者前方4米×4米×2米“记录框”范围内的所有熊蜂个体，详细调查规则请参见官网www.beewalk.org.uk。并非所有观测记录都需附带照片，但鼓励志愿者通过网捕或拍摄熊蜂辅助物种鉴定。BBCT还针对BeeWalk参与者举办多场鉴定培训活动，以提升志愿者的专业技能水平。提交的记录将通过NBN Record Cleaner工具，并结合英国蜂、胡蜂与蚁类记录学会（Bees, Wasps and Ants Recording Society）的验证规则进行校验与分布合理性核查。未通过校验或核查的记录将被退回给原始记录者，要求补充佐证材料。