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Ferrari A, Tacconi G, Polidori C. Subtle morphological changes in the visual and antennal sensory system of bees and wasps across an urbanisation gradient. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8960. [PMID: 38637599 PMCID: PMC11026482 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58804-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Increased temperature and fragmentation of green spaces in urban areas could drive variations in functional traits of insects. Such morphological shifts may occur for sensory systems, which were previously reported to be prone to change with habitat characteristics in non-urban contexts. Here, we measured traits related to the visual and antennal sensory systems in the bees Halictus scabiosae and Osmia cornuta and the wasp Polistes dominula along an urbanisation gradient within Milan (Italy). We hypothesised that fragmentation could filter for better visual properties, and that higher temperature could filter for fewer thermoreceptors and more olfactory hairs. While controlling for body size, results show subtle but appreciable responses to urbanisation in one or more traits in all species, though not always supporting our hypotheses. O. cornuta shows marginally higher ommatidia density and smaller ommatidia diameter (associated with better visual resolution) in more fragmented sites, as well as marginally fewer thermoreceptors in hotter sites, in agreement with our two predictions. On the other hand, H. scabiosae has marginally smaller antennae and P. dominula has smaller eyes at warmer locations, and the wasp also has smaller antennae and 9th flagellomeres in more fragmented areas. Perhaps higher temperatures accelerate development of sensory system at higher speed than the rest of body in these two species. Our results represent the first evidence of urbanisation effects on the visual and antennal sensory systems of bees and wasps and underline how such effects may involve a much broader bouquet of traits then previously observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ferrari
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy.
| | - Greta Tacconi
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Carlo Polidori
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, 20133, Milan, Italy
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2
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Breitbart ST, Agrawal AA, Wagner HH, Johnson MTJ. Urbanization and a green corridor do not impact genetic divergence in common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.). Sci Rep 2023; 13:20437. [PMID: 37993590 PMCID: PMC10665382 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47524-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is altering landscapes globally at an unprecedented rate. While ecological differences between urban and rural environments often promote phenotypic divergence among populations, it is unclear to what degree these trait differences arise from genetic divergence as opposed to phenotypic plasticity. Furthermore, little is known about how specific landscape elements, such as green corridors, impact genetic divergence in urban environments. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) urbanization, and (2) proximity to an urban green corridor influence genetic divergence in common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) populations for phenotypic traits. Using seeds from 52 populations along three urban-to-rural subtransects in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, one of which followed a green corridor, we grew ~ 1000 plants in a common garden setup and measured > 20 ecologically-important traits associated with plant defense/damage, reproduction, and growth over four years. We found significant heritable variation for nine traits within common milkweed populations and weak phenotypic divergence among populations. However, neither urbanization nor an urban green corridor influenced genetic divergence in individual traits or multivariate phenotype. These findings contrast with the expanding literature demonstrating that urbanization promotes rapid evolutionary change and offer preliminary insights into the eco-evolutionary role of green corridors in urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie T Breitbart
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada.
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Anurag A Agrawal
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, E145 Corson Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 2126 Comstock Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Helene H Wagner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Marc T J Johnson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
- Centre for Urban Environments, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
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3
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Luo Y, Wei QM, Newman C, Huang XQ, Luo XY, Zhou ZM. Variation in Pheidole nodus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) functional morphology across urban parks. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15679. [PMID: 37483976 PMCID: PMC10361077 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Habitat fragmentation and consequent population isolation in urban areas can impose significant selection pressures on individuals and species confined to urban islands, such as parks. Despite many comparative studies on the diversity and structure of ant community living in urban areas, studies on ants' responses to these highly variable ecosystems are often based on assemblage composition and interspecific mean trait values, which ignore the potential for high intraspecific functional trait variation among individuals. Methods Here, we examined differences in functional traits among populations of the generalist ant Pheidole nodus fragmented between urban parks. We used pitfall trapping, which is more random and objective than sampling colonies directly, despite a trade-off against sample size. We then tested whether trait-filtering could explain phenotypic differences among urban park ant populations, and whether ant populations in different parks exhibited different phenotypic optima, leading to positional shifts in anatomical morphospace through the regional ant meta-population. Results Intraspecific morphological differentiation was evident across this urban region. Populations had different convex hull volumes, positioned differently over the morphospace. Conclusions Fragmentation and habitat degradation reduced phenotypic diversity and, ultimately, changed the morphological optima of populations in this urban landscape. Considering ants' broad taxonomic and functional diversity and their important role in ecosystems, further work over a variety of ant taxa is necessary to ascertain those varied morphological response pathways operating in response to population segregation in urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Qing-Ming Wei
- Nanchong Vocational and Technical College, Nanchong, China
| | - Chris Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Xiang-Qin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Xin-Yu Luo
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
| | - Zhao-Min Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Science and Biodiversity Conservation (Sichuan Province), China West Normal University, Nanchong, China
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4
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Tommasi N, Colombo B, Pioltelli E, Biella P, Casiraghi M, Galimberti A. Urban habitat fragmentation and floral resources shape the occurrence of gut parasites in two bumblebee species. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10299. [PMID: 37456076 PMCID: PMC10338672 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization and the expansion of human activities foster radical ecosystem changes with cascading effects also involving host-pathogen interactions. Urban pollinator insects face several stressors related to landscape and local scale features such as green habitat loss, fragmentation and availability reduction of floral resources with unpredictable effects on parasite transmission. Furthermore, beekeeping may contribute to the spread of parasites to wild pollinators by increasing the number of parasite hosts. Here we used DNA-based diagnostics tools to evaluate how the occurrence of parasites, namely microsporidians (Nosema spp.), trypanosomatids (Crithidia spp.) and neogregarines (Apicystis bombi), is shaped by the above-mentioned stressors in two bumblebee species (i.e. Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum). Infection rates of the two species were different and generally higher in B. terrestris. Moreover, they showed different responses towards the same ecological variables, possibly due to differences in body size and foraging habits supposed to affect their susceptibility to parasite infection. The probability of infection was found to be reduced in B. pascuorum by green habitat fragmentation, while increased along with floral resource availability. Unexpectedly, B. terrestris had a lower parasite richness nearby apiaries maybe due to the fact that parasites are prone to be transmitted among the most abundant species. Our finding supports the need to design proper conservation measures based on species-specific knowledge, as suggested by the variation in the parasite occurrence of the two species. Moreover, conservation policies aiming at safeguarding pollinators through flower planting should consider the indirect effects of these measures for parasite transmission together with pollinator biodiversity issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Tommasi
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and BiosciencesUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
| | - Beatrice Colombo
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and BiosciencesUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
| | - Emiliano Pioltelli
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and BiosciencesUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
| | - Paolo Biella
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and BiosciencesUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
| | - Maurizio Casiraghi
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and BiosciencesUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
| | - Andrea Galimberti
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and BiosciencesUniversity of Milano‐BicoccaMilanItaly
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future CenterPalermoItaly
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5
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Kardum Hjort C, Smith HG, Allen AP, Dudaniec RY. Morphological Variation in Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) After Three Decades of an Island Invasion. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:10. [PMID: 36856678 PMCID: PMC9972831 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Introduced social insects can be highly invasive outside of their native range. Around the world, the introduction and establishment of the eusocial bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L. 1758) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has negatively impacted native pollinators and ecosystems. Understanding how morphological variation is linked to environmental variation across invasive ranges can indicate how rapidly species may be diverging or adapting across novel ranges and may assist with predicting future establishment and spread. Here we investigate whether B. terrestris shows morphological variation related to environmental variation across the island of Tasmania (Australia) where it was introduced three decades ago. We collected 169 workers from 16 sites across Tasmania and related relative abundance and morphology to landscape-wide climate, land use, and vegetation structure. We found weak morphological divergence related to environmental conditions across Tasmania. Body size of B. terrestris was positively associated with the percentage of urban land cover, a relationship largely driven by a single site, possibly reflecting high resource availability in urban areas. Proboscis length showed a significant negative relationship with the percentage of pasture. Wing loading and local abundance were not related to the environmental conditions within sites. Our results reflect the highly adaptable nature of B. terrestris and its ability to thrive in different environments, which may have facilitated the bumblebee's successful invasion across Tasmania.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henrik G Smith
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Andrew P Allen
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachael Y Dudaniec
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia
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6
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Fitzgerald JL, Ogilvie JE, CaraDonna PJ. Ecological Drivers and Consequences of Bumble Bee Body Size Variation. ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:1055-1068. [PMID: 36373400 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvac093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Body size is arguably one of the most important traits influencing the physiology and ecology of animals. Shifts in animal body size have been observed in response to climate change, including in bumble bees (Bombus spp. [Hymenoptera: Apidae]). Bumble bee size shifts have occurred concurrently with the precipitous population declines of several species, which appear to be related, in part, to their size. Body size variation is central to the ecology of bumble bees, from their social organization to the pollination services they provide to plants. If bumble bee size is shifted or constrained, there may be consequences for the pollination services they provide and for our ability to predict their responses to global change. Yet, there are still many aspects of the breadth and role of bumble bee body size variation that require more study. To this end, we review the current evidence of the ecological drivers of size variation in bumble bees and the consequences of that variation on bumble bee fitness, foraging, and species interactions. In total we review: (1) the proximate determinants and physiological consequences of size variation in bumble bees; (2) the environmental drivers and ecological consequences of size variation; and (3) synthesize our understanding of size variation in predicting how bumble bees will respond to future changes in climate and land use. As global change intensifies, a better understanding of the factors influencing the size distributions of bumble bees, and the consequences of those distributions, will allow us to better predict future responses of these pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacquelyn L Fitzgerald
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Chicago Botanic Garden, Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science & Action, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| | - Jane E Ogilvie
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
| | - Paul J CaraDonna
- Plant Biology and Conservation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, USA
- Chicago Botanic Garden, Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science & Action, Glencoe, IL 60022, USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA
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7
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Garlin J, Theodorou P, Kathe E, Quezada-Euán JJG, Paxton RJ, Soro A. Anthropogenic effects on the body size of two neotropical orchid bees. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:94. [PMID: 35918637 PMCID: PMC9347145 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02048-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
To accommodate an ever-increasing human population, agriculture is rapidly intensifying at the expense of natural habitat, with negative and widely reported effects on biodiversity in general and on wild bee abundance and diversity in particular. Cities are similarly increasing in area, though the impact of urbanisation on wild bees is more equivocal and potentially positive in northern temperate regions. Yet agriculture and urbanisation both lead to the loss and alteration of natural habitat, its fragmentation, a potential reduction in floral availability, and warmer temperatures, factors thought to be drivers of wild bee decline. They have also been shown to be factors to which wild bee populations respond through morphological change. Body size is one such trait that, because of its relation to individual fitness, has received growing attention as a morphological feature that responds to human induced modification in land use. Here, we investigated the change in body size of two sympatric orchid bee species on the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in response to urbanization and agricultural intensification. By measuring 540 male individuals sampled from overall 24 sites, we found that Euglossa dilemma and Euglossa viridissima were on average smaller in urban and agricultural habitats than in natural ones. We discuss the potential role of reduced availability of resources in driving the observed body size shifts. Agricultural and urban land management in tropical regions might benefit wild bees if it encompassed the planting of flowering herbs and trees to enhance their conservation.
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8
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A large-scale dataset reveals taxonomic and functional specificities of wild bee communities in urban habitats of Western Europe. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18866. [PMID: 36344518 PMCID: PMC9640672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-21512-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Wild bees are declining, mainly due to the expansion of urban habitats that have led to land-use changes. Effects of urbanization on wild bee communities are still unclear, as shown by contrasting reports on their species and functional diversities in urban habitats. To address this current controversy, we built a large dataset, merging 16 surveys carried out in 3 countries of Western Europe during the past decades, and tested whether urbanization influences local wild bee taxonomic and functional community composition. These surveys encompassed a range of urbanization levels, that were quantified using two complementary metrics: the proportion of impervious surfaces and the human population density. Urban expansion, when measured as a proportion of impervious surfaces, but not as human population density, was significantly and negatively correlated with wild bee community species richness. Taxonomic dissimilarity of the bee community was independent of both urbanization metrics. However, occurrence rates of functional traits revealed significant differences between lightly and highly urbanized communities, for both urbanization metrics. With higher human population density, probabilities of occurrence of above-ground nesters, generalist and small species increased. With higher soil sealing, probabilities of occurrence of above-ground nesters, generalists and social bees increased as well. Overall, these results, based on a large European dataset, suggest that urbanization can have negative impacts on wild bee diversity. They further identify some traits favored in urban environments, showing that several wild bee species can thrive in cities.
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Abstract
AbstractInvertebrates comprise the most diversified animal group on Earth. Due to their long evolutionary history and small size, invertebrates occupy a remarkable range of ecological niches, and play an important role as “ecosystem engineers” by structuring networks of mutualistic and antagonistic ecological interactions in almost all terrestrial ecosystems. Urban forests provide critical ecosystem services to humans, and, as in other systems, invertebrates are central to structuring and maintaining the functioning of urban forests. Identifying the role of invertebrates in urban forests can help elucidate their importance to practitioners and the public, not only to preserve biodiversity in urban environments, but also to make the public aware of their functional importance in maintaining healthy greenspaces. In this review, we examine the multiple functional roles that invertebrates play in urban forests that contribute to ecosystem service provisioning, including pollination, predation, herbivory, seed and microorganism dispersal and organic matter decomposition, but also those that lead to disservices, primarily from a public health perspective, e.g., transmission of invertebrate-borne diseases. We then identify a number of ecological filters that structure urban forest invertebrate communities, such as changes in habitat structure, increased landscape imperviousness, microclimatic changes and pollution. We also discuss the complexity of ways that forest invertebrates respond to urbanisation, including acclimation, local extinction and evolution. Finally, we present management recommendations to support and conserve viable and diverse urban forest invertebrate populations into the future.
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10
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Tommasi N, Pioltelli E, Biella P, Labra M, Casiraghi M, Galimberti A. Effect of urbanization and its environmental stressors on the intraspecific variation of flight functional traits in two bumblebee species. Oecologia 2022; 199:289-299. [PMID: 35575832 PMCID: PMC9225972 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05184-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The way urbanization shapes the intraspecific variation of pollinator functional traits is little understood. However, this topic is relevant for investigating ecosystem services and pollinator health. Here, we studied how urbanization affects the functional traits of workers in two bumblebee species (Bombus terrestris and B. pascuorum) sampled in 37 sites along a gradient of urbanization in North Italy (an area of 1800 km2 including the metropolitan context of Milan and other surrounding capital districts). Namely, we investigated the effect of land use composition, configuration, air temperature, flower resource abundance, and air pollutants on the variation of traits related to flight performance and of stress during insect development (i.e., wing size, wing shape and size fluctuating asymmetry). The functional traits of the two bumblebees responded idiosyncratically to urbanization. Urban temperatures were associated with smaller wing sizes in B. pascuorum and with more accentuated fluctuating asymmetry of wing size in B. terrestris. Moreover, flower abundance correlated with bigger wings in B. terrestris and with less asymmetric wing size in B. pascuorum. Other traits did not vary significantly, and other urban variables played minor effects. These species-specific variation patterns highlight that environmental stressor linked to urbanization negatively impact the traits related to flight performance and development stability of these syntopic bumblebees, with possible consequences on the pollination service they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Tommasi
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- INFN Sezione Di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Emiliano Pioltelli
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Biella
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimo Labra
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- INFN Sezione Di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Maurizio Casiraghi
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Galimberti
- ZooplantLab, Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
- INFN Sezione Di Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
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11
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Gathof AK, Grossmann AJ, Herrmann J, Buchholz S. Who can pass the urban filter? A multi-taxon approach to disentangle pollinator trait-environmental relationships. Oecologia 2022; 199:165-179. [PMID: 35505250 PMCID: PMC9120122 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05174-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Cities are considered important refuges for insect pollinators. This has been shown repeatedly for wild bees, but may also be true for other diverse taxa such as hoverflies. However, our understanding of how urban environmental filters shape pollinator species communities and their traits is still limited. Here, we used wild bee and hoverfly species, communities and their functional traits to illustrate how environmental filters on the landscape and local scale shape urban species pools. The multi-taxon approach revealed that environmental filtering predominantly occurred at the landscape scale as urbanisation and 3D connectivity significantly structured the taxonomic and functional composition of wild bee (sociality, nesting, diet, body size) and hoverfly (larval food type, migratory status) communities. We identified urban winners and losers attributed to taxon-specific responses to urban filters. Our results suggest that insect pollinator conservation needs to take place primarily at the landscape level while considering species traits, especially by increasing habitat connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Sascha Buchholz
- Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster, 48149, Münster, Germany.
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), 14195, Berlin, Germany.
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12
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Montes de Oca-Aguilar AC, González-Martínez A, Chan-González R, Ibarra-López P, Smith-Ávila S, Córdoba-Aguilar A, Ibarra-Cerdeña CN. Signs of Urban Evolution? Morpho-Functional Traits Co-variation Along a Nature-Urban Gradient in a Chagas Disease Vector. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.805040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental change (i.e., urbanization) impacts species in contrasting ways, with some species experiencing benefits given their way of life (i.e., blood-sucking insects). How these species respond to such change is not well understood and for species involved in human diseases, this “how” question is particularly important. Most Triatominae bug species inhabit tropical and subtropical forests where their vertebrate hosts’ temporal abundance depends on climate seasonality. However, in human encroached landscapes, triatomines can benefit from resource stability which may lead to adaptive phenotypic change to track novel hosts. We tested for an association between different landscapes and morpho-functional traits linked to sensory, motion, and feeding functions in Triatoma dimidiata and compared fecundity (i.e., number of eggs) in each landscape as a proxy of fitness. Using geometric and traditional morphometric tools, we predicted a morphological simplification in bugs inhabiting urbanized areas. While wing morphology or proboscis were not influenced by landscape class, the opposite occurred for thorax morphology and number of sensilla. Wing and thorax morphology did not covary under modified landscape scenarios, yet we detected a morpho-functional convergence for thorax size and antennal phenotype in both sexes, with a simplification trend, from nature to urban settings. Given no fecundity differences across landscapes, there is no potential reproductive costs. Moreover, the convergence of thorax size and antennal phenotype suggests differences in flight/locomotion performance and host/environment perception, as a possible adaptive response to relaxed selective pressures of the bug’s native habitat. These results imply that T. dimidiata could be adapting to urbanized areas.
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Body Size Variation in a Social Sweat Bee, Halictus ligatus ( Halictidae, Apoidea), across Urban Environments. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12121086. [PMID: 34940174 PMCID: PMC8709183 DOI: 10.3390/insects12121086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Many animal species that dwell in cities have altered aspects of their behavior, morphology, and physiology in order to survive in human-dominated environments. One way in which animals can adapt to survive in novel habitats is by shifting their body size. Body size is an important and flexible trait for insects because the ability to vary body size is linked to better survival and reproduction. In this study, we quantified body size variation in a species of sweat bee and compared the variation between bees residing in three different urban cities. Though studies have assessed urban bee body size previously, this is the first to compare bees from different cities. Similar to the human experience, no two cities are alike for bees. Therefore, we predicted that bees would show differences in the spread of body size in order to adapt to each unique city. We found that bees in three different environments all showed high variation in body size, but that the variation differed depending on location. This study is one of the first multi-city studies, and this is a trend we hope continues as urban research advances. Abstract High morphological variation is often associated with species longevity, and it is hypothesized that urban-dwelling species may require more plasticity in functional traits such as body size in order to maximize fitness in heterogeneous environments. There has been published research regarding the functional trait diversity of urban bee pollinators. However, no two cities are identical, so the implementation of multi-city studies is vital. Therefore, we compared body size variation in female Halicus ligatus sweat bees from May–October 2016 from three distinct Midwestern United States cities: Chicago, Detroit, and Saint Louis. Additionally, to elucidate potentially influential environmental factors, we assessed the relationship between temperature and measured body size. We collected bees in community gardens and urban farms and measured their head width and intertegular distance as a proxy for overall body size. We utilized an ANCOVA to determine whether body size variation differed significantly across the three surveyed cities. Results indicated that H. ligatus females in Chicago, Detroit, and Saint Louis had significantly different body size ranges. These findings highlight the importance of intraspecific body size variation and support our prediction that bees from different urban environments will have distinct ranges in body size due to local ecological factors affecting their populations. Additionally, we found a significant influence of temperature, though this is probably not the only important ecological characteristic impacting bee body size. Therefore, we also provided a list of predictions for the future study of specific variables that are likely to impact functional trait diversity in urban bees.
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Braschler B, Gilgado JD, Rusterholz H, Buchholz S, Zwahlen V, Baur B. Functional diversity and habitat preferences of native grassland plants and ground-dwelling invertebrates in private gardens along an urbanization gradient. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17043-17059. [PMID: 34938491 PMCID: PMC8668791 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is occurring around the globe, changing environmental conditions and influencing biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Urban domestic gardens represent a small-grained mosaic of diverse habitats for numerous species. The challenging conditions in urban gardens support species possessing certain traits, and exclude other species. Functional diversity is therefore often altered in urban gardens. By using a multi-taxa approach focused on native grassland plants and ground-dwelling invertebrates with overall low mobility (snails, slugs, spiders, millipedes, woodlice, ants, rove beetles), we examined the effects of urbanization (distance to city center, percentage of sealed area) and garden characteristics on functional dispersion, functional evenness, habitat preferences and body size. We conducted a field survey in 35 domestic gardens along a rural-urban gradient in Basel, Switzerland. The various groups showed different responses to urbanization. Functional dispersion of native grassland plants decreased with increasing distance to the city center, while functional dispersion of ants decreased with increasing percentage of sealed area. Functional evenness of ants increased with increasing distance to the city center and that of rove beetles decreased with increasing percentage of sealed area. Contrary to our expectation, in rove beetles, the proportion of generalists decreased with increasing percentage of sealed area in the surroundings, and the proportion of species preferring dry conditions increased with increasing distance to the city center. Body size of species increased with distance to city center for slugs, spiders, millipedes, ants, and rove beetles. Local garden characteristics had few effects on functional diversity and habitat preferences of the groups examined. Our study supports the importance of using multi-taxa approaches when examining effects of environmental change on biodiversity. Considering only a single group may result in misleading findings for overall biodiversity. The ground-dwelling invertebrates investigated may be affected in different ways from the more often-studied flying pollinators or birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Braschler
- Section of Conservation BiologyDepartment of Environmental SciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - José D. Gilgado
- Section of Conservation BiologyDepartment of Environmental SciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Hans‐Peter Rusterholz
- Section of Conservation BiologyDepartment of Environmental SciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Sascha Buchholz
- Department of EcologyTechnische Universität BerlinBerlinGermany
- Berlin‐Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB)BerlinGermany
| | - Valerie Zwahlen
- Section of Conservation BiologyDepartment of Environmental SciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Bruno Baur
- Section of Conservation BiologyDepartment of Environmental SciencesUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
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Casanelles‐Abella J, Müller S, Keller A, Aleixo C, Alós Orti M, Chiron F, Deguines N, Hallikma T, Laanisto L, Pinho P, Samson R, Tryjanowski P, Van Mensel A, Pellissier L, Moretti M. How wild bees find a way in European cities: Pollen metabarcoding unravels multiple feeding strategies and their effects on distribution patterns in four wild bee species. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joan Casanelles‐Abella
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems ETH Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Stefanie Müller
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Alexander Keller
- Organismic and Cellular Interactions Biocenter Faculty of Biology Ludwig‐Maximilians‐Universität München Martinsried Germany
| | - Cristiana Aleixo
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - Marta Alós Orti
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences Tartu Estonia
| | - François Chiron
- Université Paris‐SaclayCNRSAgroParisTechEcologie Systématique Evolution Orsay France
| | - Nicolas Deguines
- Université Paris‐SaclayCNRSAgroParisTechEcologie Systématique Evolution Orsay France
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions Equipe Ecologie Evolution Symbiose Université de PoitiersUMR CNRS Nouvelle‐Aquitaine France
| | - Tiit Hallikma
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences Tartu Estonia
| | - Lauri Laanisto
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Estonian University of Life Sciences Tartu Estonia
| | - Pedro Pinho
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) Faculdade de Ciências Universidade de Lisboa Lisboa Portugal
| | - Roeland Samson
- Laboratory of Environmental and Urban Ecology Department of Bioscience Engineering University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Department of Zoology Poznan University of Life Sciences Poznań Poland
| | - Anskje Van Mensel
- Laboratory of Environmental and Urban Ecology Department of Bioscience Engineering University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | - Loïc Pellissier
- Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems ETH Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Land Change Science Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
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Thompson MJ, Capilla-Lasheras P, Dominoni DM, Réale D, Charmantier A. Phenotypic variation in urban environments: mechanisms and implications. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:171-182. [PMID: 34690006 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, numerous studies have explored how urbanisation affects the mean phenotypes of populations, but it remains unknown how urbanisation impacts phenotypic variation, a key target of selection that shapes, and is shaped by, eco-evolutionary processes. Our review suggests that urbanisation may often increase intraspecific phenotypic variation through several processes; a conclusion aligned with results from our illustrative analysis on tit morphology across 13 European city/forest population pairs. Urban-driven changes in phenotypic variation will have immense implications for urban populations and communities, particularly through urbanisation's effects on individual fitness, species interactions, and conservation. We call here for studies that incorporate phenotypic variation in urban eco-evolutionary research alongside advances in theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Thompson
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y4, Canada; CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
| | - P Capilla-Lasheras
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - D M Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - D Réale
- Département des sciences biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, QC H2X 1Y4, Canada
| | - A Charmantier
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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17
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Honorio R, Jacquier L, Doums C, Molet M. Disentangling the roles of social and individual effects on cadmium tolerance in the ant Temnothorax nylanderi. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Urbanization brings new pressures for individuals. Among them, trace elements, such as cadmium, are important stressors. A recent study highlights a weaker negative effect of cadmium on city colonies relative to their forest counterparts in the ant Temnothorax nylanderi. Here, we aim to test whether the better tolerance of city colonies in this species results from a better ability of workers to rear larvae despite stressful conditions and/or a better ability of larvae to develop properly despite stressful conditions. We performed a cross-fostering experiment of workers and larvae from city and forest colonies, in common garden conditions in the laboratory. Colonies were fed using cadmium-enriched or cadmium-free food for 2 months, and we measured four life-history traits. As expected, cadmium had a negative impact on all traits. Unexpectedly, we did not observe a better tolerance of city colonies to cadmium, contrary to our previous study, which prevented us from disentangling the respective contributions of workers and larvae to cadmium tolerance. Interestingly, forest colonies seemed to be of better quality in our laboratory conditions. Finally, colony size increased adult survival, but only in the absence of cadmium, suggesting that social buffering could collapse with strong external disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Honorio
- Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences-Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Lauren Jacquier
- Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences-Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Claudie Doums
- Institut de Systématique Évolution Biodiversité, ISYEB, F-75005 Paris, Sorbonne Université, MNHN, CNRS, EPHE-PSL, Université des Antilles, France
- EPHE, PSL University, F-75014 Paris, France
| | - Mathieu Molet
- Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Est Créteil, Université Paris Diderot, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences-Paris, iEES-Paris, F-75005 Paris, France
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Zaninotto V, Perrard A, Babiar O, Hansart A, Hignard C, Dajoz I. Seasonal Variations of Pollinator Assemblages among Urban and Rural Habitats: A Comparative Approach Using a Standardized Plant Community. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12030199. [PMID: 33673434 PMCID: PMC7996759 DOI: 10.3390/insects12030199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Urbanization modifies the composition of all biological communities, including insect pollinator communities, but what is filtered out? To answer this question, we compared the pollinators and their morphological and behavioral characteristics between Paris green spaces and nearby rural grasslands. We monitored the pollinators foraging on identical plant plots in these two environments for two years, and from spring to fall. Pollinators in the city were relatively less diverse than their rural counterparts. They comprised fewer bees belonging to solitary or ground-nesting species, but the bees had a larger body size overall. These data add to the body of evidence of a filtering of pollinator communities by the urban environment, partly because the abundance and distribution of nesting and feeding resources are modified. Since the diversity of pollinators is important for plant pollination, such effects must be considered in order to preserve the insect pollinator community and maintain the pollination function despite the increasing urbanization of our landscapes. Abstract Even though urban green spaces may host a relatively high diversity of wild bees, urban environments impact the pollinator taxonomic and functional diversity in a way that is still misunderstood. Here, we provide an assessment of the taxonomic and functional composition of pollinator assemblages and their response to urbanization in the Paris region (France). We performed a spring-to-fall survey of insect pollinators in green spaces embedded in a dense urban matrix and in rural grasslands, using a plant setup standardized across sites and throughout the seasons. We compared pollinator species composition and the occurrence of bee functional traits over the two habitats. There was no difference in species richness between habitats, though urban assemblages were dominated by very abundant generalist species and displayed a lower evenness. They also included fewer brood parasitic, solitary or ground-nesting bees. Overall, bees tended to be larger in the city than in the semi-natural grasslands, and this trait exhibited seasonal variations. The urban environment filters out some life history traits of insect pollinators and alters their seasonal patterns, likely as a result of the fragmentation and scarcity of feeding and nesting resources. This could have repercussions on pollination networks and the efficiency of the pollination function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Zaninotto
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences-Paris (iEES-Paris), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Université de Paris, UPEC, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France; (A.P.); (I.D.)
- Direction des Espaces verts et de l’Environnement, Mairie de Paris, 103 Avenue de France, 75013 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Adrien Perrard
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences-Paris (iEES-Paris), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Université de Paris, UPEC, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France; (A.P.); (I.D.)
| | - Olivier Babiar
- Station d’Écologie Forestière, Université de Paris, Route de la tour Dénécourt, 77300 Fontainebleau, France; (O.B.); (C.H.)
| | - Amandine Hansart
- Centre de Recherche en Écologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP-Ecotron IleDeFrance), Département de biologie, École Normale Supérieure, PSL University, CNRS, UMS 3194, 11 Chemin de Busseau, 77140 Saint-Pierre-lès-Nemours, France;
| | - Cécile Hignard
- Station d’Écologie Forestière, Université de Paris, Route de la tour Dénécourt, 77300 Fontainebleau, France; (O.B.); (C.H.)
| | - Isabelle Dajoz
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences-Paris (iEES-Paris), Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IRD, INRAE, Université de Paris, UPEC, 4 Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France; (A.P.); (I.D.)
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Ayers AC, Rehan SM. Supporting Bees in Cities: How Bees Are Influenced by Local and Landscape Features. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12020128. [PMID: 33540577 PMCID: PMC7912800 DOI: 10.3390/insects12020128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Cities are complex ecosystems that, while generally contributing to an overall reduction in biodiversity, can support surprisingly unique communities of organisms including bees. Bees are both ecologically and economically essential, therefore preserving and conserving these insects represents a significant challenge as cities continue to expand and diminish surrounding landscapes. Some attempts to support bees in cities have included establishing and improving urban green spaces. Exactly how bees and, to a lesser extent, other pollinators respond to these green spaces in addition to other urban landscape and local features, however, remains incompletely understood. Therefore, this review summarizes the current literature and generalizable trends in pollinator response to urban landscape and local features. While some functional traits or characteristics of bees such as dietary breadth and nesting strategy are more conclusively understood and supported, other characteristics such as sociality remain less generalizable. Lack of knowledge on bee responses to city features is in part due to the individual variation exhibited across different groups and species. To promote greater biodiversity in urban spaces, research should focus on specific responses to urban local and landscape features and how green spaces can be optimized for sustainable bee conservation. Abstract Urbanization is a major anthropogenic driver of decline for ecologically and economically important taxa including bees. Despite their generally negative impact on pollinators, cities can display a surprising degree of biodiversity compared to other landscapes. The pollinating communities found within these environments, however, tend to be filtered by interacting local and landscape features that comprise the urban matrix. Landscape and local features exert variable influence on pollinators within and across taxa, which ultimately affects community composition in such a way that contributes to functional trait homogenization and reduced phylogenetic diversity. Although previous results are not easily generalizable, bees and pollinators displaying functional trait characteristics such as polylectic diet, cavity-nesting behavior, and later emergence appear most abundant across different examined cities. To preserve particularly vulnerable species, most notably specialists that have become underrepresented within city communities, green spaces like parks and urban gardens have been examined as potential refuges. Such spaces are scattered across the urban matrix and vary in pollinator resource availability. Therefore, ensuring such spaces are optimized for pollinators is imperative. This review examines how urban features affect pollinators in addition to ways these green spaces can be manipulated to promote greater pollinator abundance and diversity.
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Spotswood EN, Beller EE, Grossinger R, Grenier JL, Heller NE, Aronson MFJ. The Biological Deserts Fallacy: Cities in Their Landscapes Contribute More than We Think to Regional Biodiversity. Bioscience 2021; 71:148-160. [PMID: 33613128 PMCID: PMC7882369 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaa155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cities are both embedded within and ecologically linked to their surrounding landscapes. Although urbanization poses a substantial threat to biodiversity, cities also support many species, some of which have larger populations, faster growth rates, and higher productivity in cities than outside of them. Despite this fact, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the potentially beneficial links between cities and their surroundings. We identify five pathways by which cities can benefit regional ecosystems by releasing species from threats in the larger landscape, increasing regional habitat heterogeneity and genetic diversity, acting as migratory stopovers, preadapting species to climate change, and enhancing public engagement and environmental stewardship. Increasing recognition of these pathways could help cities identify effective strategies for supporting regional biodiversity conservation and could provide a science-based platform for incorporating biodiversity alongside other urban greening goals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Erin E Beller
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - Robin Grossinger
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - J Letitia Grenier
- San Francisco Estuary Institute San Francisco, California in the United States. Erin E. Beller is the Urban Ecology Program manager for the Real Estate and Workplace Services Sustainability Team at Google, Mountain View, California, in the United States
| | - Nicole E Heller
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
| | - Myla F J Aronson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
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21
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Theodorou P, Baltz LM, Paxton RJ, Soro A. Urbanization is associated with shifts in bumblebee body size, with cascading effects on pollination. Evol Appl 2021; 14:53-68. [PMID: 33519956 PMCID: PMC7819558 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is a global phenomenon with major effects on species, the structure of community functional traits and ecological interactions. Body size is a key species trait linked to metabolism, life-history and dispersal as well as a major determinant of ecological networks. Here, using a well-replicated urban-rural sampling design in Central Europe, we investigate the direction of change of body size in response to urbanization in three common bumblebee species, Bombus lapidarius, Bombus pascuorum and Bombus terrestris, and potential knock-on effects on pollination service provision. We found foragers of B. terrestris to be larger in cities and the body size of all species to be positively correlated with road density (albeit at different, species-specific scales); these are expected consequences of habitat fragmentation resulting from urbanization. High ambient temperature at sampling was associated with both a small body size and an increase in variation of body size in all three species. At the community level, the community-weighted mean body size and its variation increased with urbanization. Urbanization had an indirect positive effect on pollination services through its effects not only on flower visitation rate but also on community-weighted mean body size and its variation. We discuss the eco-evolutionary implications of the effect of urbanization on body size, and the relevance of these findings for the key ecosystem service of pollination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Theodorou
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Lucie M. Baltz
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
| | - Antonella Soro
- General ZoologyInstitute of BiologyMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
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Kelemen EP, Rehan SM. Opposing pressures of climate and land-use change on a native bee. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 27:1017-1026. [PMID: 33274535 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities are rapidly changing the environment, and species that do not respond face a higher risk of extinction. Species may respond to environmental changes by modifying their behaviors, shifting their distributions, or changing their morphology. Recent morphological responses are often measured by changes in body size. Changes in body size are often attributed to climate change, but may instead be due to differences in available resources associated with changes in local land-use. The effects of temperature and land-use can be uncoupled in populations of the small carpenter bee Ceratina calcarata, which have experienced changes in agricultural and urban cover independent of climate change. We studied how the morphology of this bee has changed over the past 118 years (1902-2019) in relation to climate change and the past 45 years (1974-2019) in relation to agricultural and urban cover. Over this time, summer temperatures increased. We found that male and female size decreased with increasing temperature. Male size also decreased with agricultural expansion. Female size, however, increased with agricultural expansion. These results suggest that rising temperatures correlate with a decrease in female body size, while, opposite to predicted, agricultural land-use may select for increased female body size. These opposing pressures act concurrently and may result in bee extirpation from agricultural habitats if selection for large sizes is unsustainable as temperatures continue to increase. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the need to consider multiple environmental stressors when examining the effects of climate change due to their interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan P Kelemen
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Sandra M Rehan
- Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Putman BJ, Tippie ZA. Big City Living: A Global Meta-Analysis Reveals Positive Impact of Urbanization on Body Size in Lizards. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.580745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urban environments pose different selective pressures than natural ones, leading to changes in animal behavior, physiology, and morphology. Understanding how animals respond to urbanization could inform the management of urban habitats. Non-avian reptiles have important roles in ecosystems worldwide, yet their responses to urbanization have not been as comprehensively studied as those of mammals and birds. However, unlike mammals and birds, most reptiles cannot easily move away from disturbances, making the selective pressure to adapt to urban environments especially strong. In recent years, there has been a surge in research on the responses of lizards to urbanization, yet no formal synthesis has determined what makes an urban lizard, in other words, which phenotypic traits are most likely to change with urbanization and in which direction? Here, we present a qualitative synthesis of the literature and a quantitative phylogenetic meta-analysis comparing phenotypic traits between urban and non-urban lizard populations. The most robust finding from our analysis is that urban lizards are larger than their non-urban counterparts. This result remained consistent between sexes and taxonomic groups. Hence, lizards that pass through the urban filter have access to better resources, more time for foraging, and/or there is selection on attaining a larger body size. Other results included an increase in the diameters of perches used and longer limb and digit lengths, although this may be a result of increased body size. Urban lizards were not bolder, more active or exploratory, and did not differ in immune responses than non-urban populations. Overall, studies are biased to a few geographic regions and taxa. More than 70% of all data came from three species of anoles in the family Dactyloidae, making it difficult to generalize patterns to other clades. Thus, more studies are needed across multiple taxa and habitats to produce meaningful predictions that could help inform conservation and management of urban ecological communities.
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Piano E, Bona F, Isaia M. Urbanization drivers differentially affect ground arthropod assemblages in the city of Turin (NW-Italy). Urban Ecosyst 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-020-00937-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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