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Mola JM, Pearse IS, Boone ML, Evans E, Hepner MJ, Jean RP, Kochanski JM, Nordmeyer C, Runquist E, Smith TA, Strange JP, Watson J, Koch JBU. Range-wide genetic analysis of an endangered bumble bee (Bombus affinis, Hymenoptera: Apidae) reveals population structure, isolation by distance, and low colony abundance. J Insect Sci 2024; 24:19. [PMID: 38569059 PMCID: PMC10990054 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Declines in bumble bee species range and abundances are documented across multiple continents and have prompted the need for research to aid species recovery and conservation. The rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) is the first federally listed bumble bee species in North America. We conducted a range-wide population genetics study of B. affinis from across all extant conservation units to inform conservation efforts. To understand the species' vulnerability and help establish recovery targets, we examined population structure, patterns of genetic diversity, and population differentiation. Additionally, we conducted a site-level analysis of colony abundance to inform prioritizing areas for conservation, translocation, and other recovery actions. We find substantial evidence of population structuring along an east-to-west gradient. Putative populations show evidence of isolation by distance, high inbreeding coefficients, and a range-wide male diploidy rate of ~15%. Our results suggest the Appalachians represent a genetically distinct cluster with high levels of private alleles and substantial differentiation from the rest of the extant range. Site-level analyses suggest low colony abundance estimates for B. affinis compared to similar datasets of stable, co-occurring species. These results lend genetic support to trends from observational studies, suggesting that B. affinis has undergone a recent decline and exhibit substantial spatial structure. The low colony abundances observed here suggest caution in overinterpreting the stability of populations even where B. affinis is reliably detected interannually. These results help delineate informed management units, provide context for the potential risks of translocation programs, and help set clear recovery targets for this and other threatened bumble bee species.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M Mola
- Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ian S Pearse
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Michelle L Boone
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Elaine Evans
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Mark J Hepner
- Metamorphic Ecological Research and Consulting, LLC, Alonzaville, VA, USA
| | - Robert P Jean
- Environmental Solutions and Innovations, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jade M Kochanski
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Cale Nordmeyer
- Conservation Department, Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, MN, USA
| | - Erik Runquist
- Conservation Department, Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley, MN, USA
| | - Tamara A Smith
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota–Wisconsin Ecological Services Field Office, Bloomington, MN, USA
| | - James P Strange
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Jay Watson
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Green Bay, WI, USA
| | - Jonathan B U Koch
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Pollinating Insect Research Unit, Logan, UT, USA
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