We plan to transplant brood cells of Melissodes, a native bee species currently under threat, along the UCSB walking path, by relocating sediment from the UCSB Lagoon to the Coal Oil Point Reserve (COPR). Sediment containing potential brood cells will be carefully extracted using a soil corer, followed by micro-CT scanning to quantify and confirm the presence of brood cells. We will identify a site at COPR with similar soil texture, moisture, and salinity to ensure habitat compatibility and transplant the cores directly into the soil. To assess the success of the relocation, we will install emergence trap nests to monitor adult bee emergence and survival post-transplant.

Approved