Pollinators in Chicago

This case study focuses on services provided by pollinators to an urban garden in Chicago. It integrates considerations of the social, biological, and physical elements of urban ecosystems, as well as urban agriculture. Students will elaborate these relationships and critical links by developing and refining a concept map. The case study encourages student inquiry about pollinators native to Illinois and the Great Lakes Region, as well as similarities and differences with managed honeybees. Students will learn about pollination as an ecosystem service (and elaborate on bees as mobile ecosystem service providers at advanced levels). The case also incorporates elements on climate change and outcomes for pollinator activity and conservation. It concludes with stakeholder identification, evaluation, and a synthesis paper.