How does this fit in with ecology?
Insects have wings and this gives the the ability to move around between different habitats. They do not move the same distance as birds at one time and therefor need habitat that is closer to each other. By creating a garden that fulfills their needs it acts as a stepping stone to a bigger habitat. If a lot of people change their gardens to accommodate pollinators it can almost for a corridor through an urban area.
Fragmented landscapes
With the world population increasing the demand for food and a place to stay also increases. The result is that natural land is transformed to either agriculture or urban areas. This transformation leaves the natural area in a patched state. This and other threats can cause a decline and even extinction in an area.
By creating habitat space or protecting the remaining habitat we can help to facilitate the movement of pollinators between patches that is essential to metapopulation dynamics.
Metapopulation dynamics refers to the movement between different populations in different fragmentations. One population can move to another fragment and back. If a population go’s extinct in a certain patch, it can be replaced by another population. It usually have a sink and source concept. The sinks are the patches that populations go’s extinct in and the source replenish the sink with a new population.
By creating habitat space or protecting the remaining habitat we can help to facilitate the movement of pollinators between patches that is essential to metapopulation dynamics.
Metapopulation dynamics refers to the movement between different populations in different fragmentations. One population can move to another fragment and back. If a population go’s extinct in a certain patch, it can be replaced by another population. It usually have a sink and source concept. The sinks are the patches that populations go’s extinct in and the source replenish the sink with a new population.
Corridors
Corridors refers to a continuous strip of habitat that link two patches to each other. The strip is used for movement between bigger patches that can sustain populations. This improves the survival chance of isolated populations. Insects are small and therefor don’t need a wide corridor. The bigger the corridor the more species with different requirements can be facilitated.
Stepping stones
Small patches of suitable habitat between bigger fragments can be used as stepping stones for insects to move from one place to the next. The concept of stepping stones is almost the same as for corridors. Stepping stones can be seen as the next phase in fragmentation where the corridor is also fragmented. The movement from stepping stone to the next may differ from species as each one will travel as his needs are fulfilled.
How your garden fits in
By creating a garden that caters for the needs of pollinator insects you are creating stepping stones in an urban environment. This can help pollinators move from one side of the urban area to the other side by “stepping” into your garden and using the resources. When neighbours also start pollinator gardens it can create a corridor effect through the urban area.