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Franchini P, Fruciano C, Wood TJ, Shastry V, Goulson D, Hughes WOH, Jones JC. Limited introgression from non-native commercial strains and signatures of adaptation in the key pollinator Bombus terrestris. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5709-5723. [PMID: 37789741 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17151] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Insect pollination is fundamental for natural ecosystems and agricultural crops. The bumblebee species Bombus terrestris has become a popular choice for commercial crop pollination worldwide due to its effectiveness and ease of mass rearing. Bumblebee colonies are mass produced for the pollination of more than 20 crops and imported into over 50 countries including countries outside their native ranges, and the risk of invasion by commercial non-native bumblebees is considered an emerging issue for global conservation and biological diversity. Here, we use genome-wide data from seven wild populations close to and far from farms using commercial colonies, as well as commercial populations, to investigate the implications of utilizing commercial bumblebee subspecies in the UK. We find evidence for generally low levels of introgression between commercial and wild bees, with higher admixture proportions in the bees occurring close to farms. We identify genomic regions putatively involved in local and global adaptation, and genes in locally adaptive regions were found to be enriched for functions related to taste receptor activity, oxidoreductase activity, fatty acid and lipid biosynthetic processes. Despite more than 30 years of bumblebee colony importation into the UK, we observe low impact on the genetic integrity of local B. terrestris populations, but we highlight that even limited introgression might negatively affect locally adapted populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Franchini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Viale dell'Università s.n.c, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Carmelo Fruciano
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology, National Research Council (IRBIM-CNR), Messina, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Thomas J Wood
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Vivaswat Shastry
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Dave Goulson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | | | - Julia C Jones
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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2
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Yanagisawa T, Kato Y, Inoue MN. Infection Prevalence of Microsporidia Vairimorpha ( Nosema) spp. in Japanese Bumblebees. INSECTS 2023; 14:340. [PMID: 37103155 PMCID: PMC10145284 DOI: 10.3390/insects14040340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Microsporidia are spore-forming intracellular parasites of various invertebrates and vertebrates. Vairimorpha bombi negatively affects the fitness of bumblebees and its prevalence correlates with declining bumblebee populations. The invasive alien species Bombus terrestris colonized Japan and possibly introduced new parasites. To assess the infection prevalence of V. bombi in Japanese bumblebees and B. terrestris, we investigated V. bombi infections using PCR and microscopy. The prevalence of sporulating V. bombi infections in three Bombus s. str. species/subspecies was low, whereas that of non/low-sporulating Vairimorpha sp. infections in three Diversobombus species/subspecies was high. Invasive B. terrestris showed low prevalence of non/low-sporulating V. bombi infections and shared the same V. bombi haplotype with B. hypocrita found in Hokkaido, where B. terrestris is present, and in Honshu, where B. terrestris is absent. Although V. bombi may have been introduced with B. terrestris colonies imported from Europe, it seems to be originally distributed in Japan. Furthermore, a new Vairimorpha sp. was found in Japanese bumblebee species. V. bombi and Vairimorpha sp. showed different organ and host specificities in bumblebees. There are no reports on the specific effects of other Vairimorpha spp. on bumblebees; further studies are needed to clarify the individual characteristics of Vairimorpha spp.
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3
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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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4
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Iwasaki JM, Hogendoorn K. Mounting evidence that managed and introduced bees have negative impacts on wild bees: an updated review. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:100043. [PMID: 36003276 PMCID: PMC9387436 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2022.100043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide, the use of managed bees for crop pollination and honey production has increased dramatically. Concerns about the pressures of these increases on native ecosystems has resulted in a recent expansion in the literature on this subject. To collate and update current knowledge, we performed a systematic review of the literature on the effects of managed and introduced bees on native ecosystems, focusing on the effects on wild bees. To enable comparison over time, we used the same search terms and focused on the same impacts as earlier reviews. This review covers: (a) interference and resource competition between introduced or managed bees and native bees; (b) effects of introduced or managed bees on pollination of native plants and weeds; and (c) transmission and infectivity of pathogens; and classifies effects into positive, negative, or neutral. Compared to a 2017 review, we found that the number of papers on this issue has increased by 47%. The highest increase was seen in papers on pathogen spill-over, but in the last five years considerable additional information about competition between managed and wild bees has also become available. Records of negative effects have increased from 53% of papers reporting negative effects in 2017 to 66% at present. The majority of these studies investigated effects on visitation and foraging behaviour. While only a few studies experimentally assessed impacts on wild bee reproductive output, 78% of these demonstrated negative effects. Plant composition and pollination was negatively affected in 7% of studies, and 79% of studies on pathogens reported potential negative effects of managed or introduced bees on wild bees. Taken together, the evidence increasingly suggests that managed and introduced bees negatively affect wild bees, and this knowledge should inform actions to prevent further harm to native ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay M. Iwasaki
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5064, Australia
| | - Katja Hogendoorn
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide SA 5064, Australia
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5
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Kardum Hjort C, Paris JR, Olsson P, Herbertsson L, de Miranda JR, Dudaniec RY, Smith HG. Genomic divergence and a lack of recent introgression between commercial and wild bumblebees (
Bombus terrestris
). Evol Appl 2022; 15:365-382. [PMID: 35386397 PMCID: PMC8965379 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The global movement of bees for agricultural pollination services can affect local pollinator populations via hybridization. When commercial bumblebees are of the same species but of different geographic origin, intraspecific hybridization may result in beneficial integration of new genetic variation, or alternatively may disrupt locally adapted gene complexes. However, neither the existence nor the extent of genomic introgression and evolutionary divergence between wild and commercial bumblebees is fully understood. We obtained whole‐genome sequencing data from wild and commercial Bombus terrestris collected from sites in Southern Sweden with and without long‐term use of commercially imported B. terrestris. We search for evidence of introgression, dispersal and genome‐wide differentiation in a comparative genomic analysis of wild and commercial bumblebees. Commercial B. terrestris were found in natural environments near sites where commercial bumblebees were used, as well as drifting wild B. terrestris in commercial bumblebee colonies. However, we found no evidence for widespread, recent genomic introgression of commercial B. terrestris into local wild conspecific populations. We found that wild B. terrestris had significantly higher nucleotide diversity (Nei's pi, π), while the number of segregating sites (Watterson's theta, θw) was higher in commercial B. terrestris. A highly divergent region on chromosome 11 was identified in commercial B. terrestris and found to be enriched with structural variants. The genes present in this region are involved in flight muscle contraction and structure and pathogen immune response, providing evidence for differing evolutionary processes operating in wild and commercial B. terrestris. We did not find evidence for recent introgression, suggesting that co‐occurring commercial B. terrestris have not disrupted evolutionary processes in wild B. terrestris populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Josephine R. Paris
- College of Life and Environmental Science University of Exeter Exeter EX4 4QD United Kingdom
| | - Peter Olsson
- Department of Biology Lund University SE‐223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Lina Herbertsson
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science Lund University SE‐223 62 Lund Sweden
| | - Joachim R. de Miranda
- Department of Ecology Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Box 7044 SE‐750 07 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Rachael Y. Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney 2109 NSW Australia
| | - Henrik G. Smith
- Department of Biology Lund University SE‐223 62 Lund Sweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Science Lund University SE‐223 62 Lund Sweden
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6
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Brettell LE, Martin SJ, Riegler M, Cook JM. Vulnerability of island insect pollinator communities to pathogens. J Invertebr Pathol 2021; 186:107670. [PMID: 34560107 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2021.107670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Island ecosystems, which often contain undescribed insects and small populations of single island endemics, are at risk from diverse threats. The spread of pathogens is a major factor affecting not just pollinator species themselves, but also posing significant knock-on effects to often fragile island ecosystems through disruption of pollination networks. Insects are vulnerable to diverse pathogens and these can be introduced to islands in a number of ways, e.g. via the introduction of infected managed pollinator hosts (e.g. honey bees and their viruses, in particular Deformed wing virus), long-range migrants (e.g. monarch butterflies and their protozoan parasite, Ophryocystit elektroscirrha) and invasive species (e.g. social wasps are common invaders and are frequently infected with multi-host viruses such as Kashmir bee virus and Moku virus). Furthermore, these introductions can negatively affect island ecosystems through outcompeting native taxa for resources. As such, the greatest threat to island pollinator communities is not one particular pathogen, but the combination of pathogens and introduced and invasive insects that will likely carry them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Brettell
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; Department of Vector Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place L3 5QA, UK.
| | - Stephen J Martin
- School of Environment and life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, UK
| | - Markus Riegler
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - James M Cook
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
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7
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Hall MA, Jones J, Rocchetti M, Wright D, Rader R. Bee Visitation and Fruit Quality in Berries Under Protected Cropping Vary Along the Length of Polytunnels. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 113:1337-1346. [PMID: 32188974 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toaa037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Wild and managed bees provide effective crop pollination services worldwide. Protected cropping conditions are thought to alter the ambient environmental conditions in which pollinators forage for flowers, yet few studies have compared conditions at the edges and center of growing tunnels. We measured environmental variables (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, white light, and UV light) and surveyed activity of the managed honey bee, Apis mellifera L.; wild stingless bee, Tetragonula carbonaria Smith; and wild sweat bee, Homalictus urbanus Smith, along the length of 32 multiple open-ended polyethylene growing tunnels. These were spaced across 12 blocks at two commercial berry farms, in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales and Walkamin, North Queensland, Australia. Berry yield, fresh weight, and other quality metrics were recorded at discrete increments along the length of the tunnels. We found a higher abundance and greater number of flower visits by stingless bees and honey bees at the end of tunnels, and less frequent visits to flowers toward the middle of tunnels. The center of tunnels experienced higher temperatures and reduced wind speed. In raspberry, fruit shape was improved with greater pollinator abundance and was susceptible to higher temperatures. In blueberry, per plant yield and mean berry weight were positively associated with pollinator abundance and were lower at the center of tunnels than at the edge. Fruit quality (crumbliness) in raspberries was improved with a greater number of visits by sweat bees, who were not as susceptible to climatic conditions within tunnels. Understanding bee foraging behavior and changes to yield under protected cropping conditions is critical to inform the appropriate design of polytunnels, aid pollinator management within them, and increase economic gains in commercial berry crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Hall
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Jeremy Jones
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Derek Wright
- Costagroup, Corindi Berry Farm, Corindi, NSW, Australia
| | - Romina Rader
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
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8
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Geslin B, Gauzens B, Baude M, Dajoz I, Fontaine C, Henry M, Ropars L, Rollin O, Thébault E, Vereecken N. Massively Introduced Managed Species and Their Consequences for Plant–Pollinator Interactions. ADV ECOL RES 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2016.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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9
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Iwasaki JM, Barratt BIP, Lord JM, Mercer AR, Dickinson KJM. The New Zealand experience of varroa invasion highlights research opportunities for Australia. AMBIO 2015; 44:694-704. [PMID: 26133152 PMCID: PMC4591231 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-015-0679-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Revised: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 06/06/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is implicated as a major disease factor in honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations worldwide. Honey bees are extensively relied upon for pollination services, and in countries such as New Zealand and Australia where honey bees have been introduced specifically for commercial pollinator services, the economic effects of any decline in honey bee numbers are predicted to be profound. V. destructor established in New Zealand in 2000 but as yet, Australia remains Varroa-free. Here we analyze the history of V. destructor invasion and spread in New Zealand and discuss the likely long-term impacts. When the mite was discovered in New Zealand, it was considered too well established for eradication to be feasible. Despite control efforts, V. destructor has since spread throughout the country. Today, assessing the impacts of the arrival of V. destructor in this country is compromised by a paucity of data on pollinator communities as they existed prior to invasion. Australia's Varroa-free status provides a rare and likely brief window of opportunity for the global bee research community to gain understanding of honey bee-native pollinator community dynamics prior to Varroa invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jay M Iwasaki
- Department of Botany, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
| | - Barbara I P Barratt
- Department of Botany, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
- Invermay Agricultural Centre, Puddle Alley, Private Bag 50034, Mosgiel, 9053, New Zealand.
| | - Janice M Lord
- Department of Botany, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
| | - Alison R Mercer
- Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand.
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10
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Stout JC, Goulson D. Bumble bees in Tasmania: their distribution and potential impact on Australian flora and fauna. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/0005772x.2000.11099475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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11
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Garbuzov M, Ratnieks FLW. Listmania: The Strengths and Weaknesses of Lists of Garden Plants to Help Pollinators. Bioscience 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biu150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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12
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Palladini JD, Maron JL. Reproduction and survival of a solitary bee along native and exotic floral resource gradients. Oecologia 2014; 176:789-98. [PMID: 25227678 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-014-3028-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 07/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Native bee abundance has long been assumed to be limited by floral resources. This paradigm has been established in large measure because more bees are often found in areas supporting greater floral abundance. This could result from attraction to resource-rich sites as well as greater local demographic performance in sites supporting high floral abundance; however, demographic performance is usually unknown. Factors other than floral resources such as availability of nest sites, pressure from natural enemies, or whether floral resources are from a mixed native or mostly monodominant exotic assemblage might influence survival or fecundity and hence abundance. We examined how the survival and fecundity of the native solitary bee Osmia lignaria varied along a gradient in floral resource abundance. We released bees alongside a nest block at 27 grassland sites in Montana (USA) that varied in floral abundance and the extent of invasion by exotic forbs. We monitored nest construction and the fate of offspring within each nest. The number of nests established was positively related to native forb abundance and was negatively related to exotic forb species richness. Fecundity was positively related to native forb species richness; however, offspring mortality caused by the brood parasite Tricrania stansburyi was significantly greater in native-dominated sites. These results suggest that native floral resources can positively influence bee populations, but that the relationship between native floral resources and bee population performance is not straightforward. Rather, bees may face a trade-off between high offspring production and low offspring survival in native-dominated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer D Palladini
- Division of Life Sciences, Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA, 95401, USA,
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13
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Suzuki-Ohno Y, Inoue MN, Ohno K. Applying geographic profiling used in the field of criminology for predicting the nest locations of bumble bees. J Theor Biol 2010; 265:211-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2010.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2010] [Revised: 04/08/2010] [Accepted: 04/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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14
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Reproductive disturbance of Japanese bumblebees by the introduced European bumblebee Bombus terrestris. Naturwissenschaften 2008; 96:467-75. [PMID: 19089400 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-008-0495-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2008] [Revised: 11/17/2008] [Accepted: 11/24/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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15
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Schmid-Hempel P, Schmid-Hempel R, Brunner PC, Seeman OD, Allen GR. Invasion success of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, despite a drastic genetic bottleneck. Heredity (Edinb) 2007; 99:414-22. [PMID: 17551520 DOI: 10.1038/sj.hdy.6801017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In early 1992, the European bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, was first seen in Tasmania and currently has spread to most of the island. Here, we report on the genetic structure, using micro-satellites, of the invading population from samples collected in the years 1998-2000, a few years after the first sighting of the species in its new area. The data show that the Tasmanian population has a very low genetic diversity, with less than half of the allelic richness (Richness=2.89 alleles; H(exp)=0.591) and lower levels of heterozygosity as compared to populations in New Zealand (4.24 alleles; H(exp)=0.729) and Europe (5.08 alleles; H(exp)=0.826). In addition, the genetic data suggest that the invasion must have happened once, probably around late 1991, and was the result of very few, perhaps only two, individuals arriving in Tasmania. Furthermore, these founders came from the New Zealand population. Today, the population in the south of Tasmania seems to act as a source population from which individuals migrate into other parts of the state. A similar source-sink structure seems also the case for New Zealand. The data show that B. terrestris is a highly invasive species capable of establishing itself even after a dramatic genetic bottleneck. B. terrestris may be an invasive species due to the haplo-diploid sex determination system, which exposes recessive, deleterious mutations to selection. Offspring of such purged lines may then be able to tolerate high levels of inbreeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Schmid-Hempel
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin (Institute for Advanced Study), Wallotstrasse, Berlin, Germany.
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16
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Hingston AB, Herrmann W, Jordan GJ. Reproductive success of a colony of the introduced bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a Tasmanian National Park. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-6055.2006.00527.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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17
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Simpson SR, Gross CL, Silberbauer LX. Broom and honeybees in Australia: an alien liaison. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2005; 7:541-8. [PMID: 16163620 DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-865855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Facilitative interactions between non-indigenous species are gaining recognition as a major driver of invasion success. Cytisus scoparius (L.) Link (Fabaceae), or Scotch broom, is a cosmopolitan invasive shrub that lacks the capacity for vegetative reproduction and is a good model to study facilitative interactions. Its success in pioneer environments is determined by constraints on its reproduction. We determined whether pollinators were required for seed set in C. scoparius at Barrington Tops, NSW, Australia, where the species has infested ca. 14,000 ha across the plateau. Field and laboratory experiments showed that C. scoparius is an obligate outcrossing species at Barrington Tops. Monitoring of plants (10.7 h) showed that the flowers of C. scoparius have to be tripped to effect seed set and the only pollinator to do this was the introduced honeybee, Apis mellifera L. Most floral visits by honeybees result in fruit set (84 %) and because fruits have many ovules (10 - 18 per ovary) a single bee on an average foraging day can effect the production of over 6000 seeds. A review of C. scoparius pollination across four continents revealed major differences in pollen quantity, which may explain differences in the efficiencies of honeybees as pollinators of C. scoparius. The incorporation of pollinator management in an integrated approach for the control of C. scoparius is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Simpson
- Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
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18
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Hihgston AB. Inbreeding in the introduced Bumblebee Bombus terrestris causes uncertainty in predictions of impacts on native ecosystems. ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 2005. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-8903.2005.230-8.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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19
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Hingston AB. Does the introduced bumblebee, Bombus terrestris (Apidae), prefer flowers of introduced or native plants in Australia? AUST J ZOOL 2005. [DOI: 10.1071/zo04048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Proponents of importation of the European bumblebee, Bombus terrestris (L.), into Australia for pollination of commercial greenhouse crops argue that this species will have little impact on Australian native ecosystems because it prefers to forage on flowers of introduced species of plants rather than Australian native plants. However, data presented as evidence of preference for introduced plants have been equivocal. This study compared the attractiveness of introduced and Australian native plants to free-foraging B. terrestris in a garden at the interface between an urban area and native vegetation in the Australian island of Tasmania, where a feral population of B. terrestris had been established for over 10 years. No evidence was found to support the proposal that B. terrestris forages on flowers of introduced plants in preference to those of Australian native plants. The numbers of B. terrestris seen foraging per 1000 flowers did not differ significantly between introduced plants and Australian native plants, and the preferred food sources of B. terrestris included flowers of both introduced and Australian native species. Because B. terrestris forages frequently on many species of both introduced and native plants, assessments of its ecological impacts must include the effects of altered pollination on recruitment rates in both introduced weeds and native plants, and reduced quantities of nectar and pollen of native plants on recruitment rates of dependent fauna.
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Palmer TM, Stanton ML, Young TP. Competition and coexistence: exploring mechanisms that restrict and maintain diversity within mutualist guilds. Am Nat 2004; 162:S63-79. [PMID: 14583858 DOI: 10.1086/378682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Mutualistic interactions are diverse and widespread and often involve multispecies guilds of mutualists competing for access to one or more partner species. Despite the ubiquity of these interactions, we know little about the dynamics of competition and coexistence within these guilds or how interactions between mutualists and their shared resource (the partner species) may influence these dynamics. In this article, we review the evidence for interspecific competition for partners within mutualist guilds in both plant-pollinator and ant-myrmecophyte systems. We then review evidence for the operation of different coexistence mechanisms within these guilds and discuss how the dynamics of competition and coexistence may be uniquely shaped by multispecies mutualist interactions. In particular, we note that adaptive and plastic responses by mutualists to variation in partner quality are likely to play an important role in determining these dynamics. We summarize by considering the ecological conditions that are likely to restrict or promote species coexistence within mutualist guilds. We suggest that these guilds may provide powerful model systems for exploring multiple mechanisms of species coexistence, and we discuss how these mechanisms may be modified by evolutionary adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M Palmer
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
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Goulson D. Effects of Introduced Bees on Native Ecosystems. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2003. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.34.011802.132355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 445] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dave Goulson
- Division of Biodiversity and Ecology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton, SO16 7PX, United Kingdom;
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Memmott J, Waser NM. Integration of alien plants into a native flower-pollinator visitation web. Proc Biol Sci 2002; 269:2395-9. [PMID: 12495480 PMCID: PMC1691186 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2002.2174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 241] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduced alien species influence many ecosystem services, including pollination of plants by animals. We extend the scope of recent 'single species' studies by analysing how alien plant species integrate themselves into a native flower visitation web. Historical records for a community in central USA show that 456 plant species received visits from 1429 insect and 1 hummingbird species, yielding 15 265 unique interactions. Aliens comprised 12.3% of all plant species, whereas only a few insects were alien. On average, the flowers of alien plants were visited by significantly fewer animal species than those of native plants. Most of these visitors were generalists, visiting many other plant species. The web of interactions between flowers and visitors was less richly connected for alien plants than for natives; nonetheless, aliens were well integrated into the native web. Because most visitors appear to be pollinators, this integration implies possible competitive and facilitative interactions between native and alien plants, mediated through animal visitors to flowers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane Memmott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK.
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HINGSTON ANDREWB, MARSDEN-SMEDLEY JON, DRISCOLL DONA, CORBETT SIB, FENTON JANET, ANDERSON RACHEL, PLOWMAN CATHIE, MOWLING FRANCES, JENKIN MARGIE, MATSUI KIYOSHI, BONHAM KEVINJ, ILOWSKI MICK, MCQUILLAN PETERB, YAXLEY BELINDA, REID TIM, STOREY DAVID, POOLE LIONEL, MALLICK STEPHENA, FITZGERALD NICHOLAS, KIRKPATRICK JAMIEB, FEBEY JUSTIN, HARWOOD ANDREWG, MICHAELS KARYLF, RUSSELL MICKJ, BLACK PAULG, EMMERSON LOUISE, VISOIU MICAH, MORGAN JOHN, BREEN SHANE, GATES SIMON, BANTICH MARKN, DESMARCHELIER JOLYONM. Extent of invasion of Tasmanian native vegetation by the exotic bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Apoidea: Apidae). AUSTRAL ECOL 2002. [DOI: 10.1046/j.1442-9993.2002.01179.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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