Towards Ecological Management and Sustainable Urban Planning in Seoul, South Korea: Mapping Wild Pollinator Habitat Preferences and Corridors Using Citizen Science Data

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Urban landscapes, though a primary contributor to habitat fragmentation, have the potential to facilitate habitat connectivity for native pollinator species, especially with strategic green space planning. Citizen science data have been proven to be useful to address conservation issues in urban areas, especially where knowledge is lacking about species richness and habitat preferences. In this study, we used data collected by a citizen science program between 2016 and 2018 to determine which families of pollinators were the most frequently observed in Seoul, with which habitats pollinators had the highest affinities, and what parts of the city facilitated habitat connectivity. We found that the most suitable habitats for multiple families were located in public parks, university campuses, and Cultural Heritage sites. These results are directly applicable in order to better understand urban planning stakes for pollinators and wildlife in general and provide avenues for improvement to recreate functional greenways in a dense city like Seoul. ABSTRACT: The preservation and restoration of habitats and ecological connectivity inside cities is crucial to ensure wildlife can find suitable areas to forage, rest and reproduce, as well as to disperse, thereby allowing metapopulation functioning. In this study, we used data collected by a citizen science program between 2016 and 2018 to determine which families of pollinators were the most frequently observed in Seoul and with which habitats pollinators had the highest affinities. Using species distribution modeling and landscape graph approaches, we located the main habitats and corridors to reinforce connectivity for six pollinator families. Finally, we identified habitats and corridors where conservation actions should be prioritized. In total, 178 species belonging to 128 genera and 60 families were observed. Hymenopterans were the most recorded, followed by dipterans and lepidopterans. The most suitable habitats for pollinators were constituted of public parks, university campuses, and Cultural Heritage sites. In a dense city like Seoul, most of the conservation corridors are located in built-up areas. Innovative urban planning and architecture are therefore required as well as the setting-up of ecological management practices to lead to a more sustainable urbanism for pollinators and wildlife in general.