Jennifer Rose, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Mark Outerbridge, Hernán E. Morales
{"title":"Evolutionary genomics analysis reveals a unique lineage of Megachile pruina found in an isolated population in Bermuda","authors":"Jennifer Rose, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Mark Outerbridge, Hernán E. Morales","doi":"10.1111/icad.12776","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<jats:list> <jats:list-item>The decline in bee diversity, largely driven by habitat loss, climate change and invasive species, is well‐documented. Within this context, the genus <jats:italic>Megachile</jats:italic> Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a diverse group of solitary leafcutter bees, lacks comprehensive species‐level conservation and taxonomic assessments, potentially concealing population declines and extinctions.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item><jats:italic>Megachile pruina</jats:italic> is one of Bermuda's three bee species and possibly the last native bee on the island. Formerly distributed widely across the island, it is now restricted to a small 11.5 ha area within the Castle Harbour Islands Nature Reserve.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ under the Bermuda Protected Species Act, its taxonomic and conservation status remains uncertain, particularly its evolutionary relationships with populations in the United States.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Here, we analyse nuclear genomes and mitochondrial genomes to reveal that Bermuda's <jats:italic>M. pruina</jats:italic> population is genetically distinct from mainland US populations and show no close association with any sampled US population, suggesting that Bermuda's represent a unique evolutionary lineage.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>Our genetic diversity assessment shows lower genetic diversity in Bermuda's population compared with the United States, highlighting a higher level of vulnerability than originally thought.</jats:list-item> <jats:list-item>We recommend maintaining its current protection status and advocate for the pressing need of expanding ecological and biological studies to facilitate appropriate conservation and monitoring measures.</jats:list-item> </jats:list>","PeriodicalId":13640,"journal":{"name":"Insect Conservation and Diversity","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Insect Conservation and Diversity","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1111/icad.12776","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENTOMOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The decline in bee diversity, largely driven by habitat loss, climate change and invasive species, is well‐documented. Within this context, the genus Megachile Latreille, 1802 (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a diverse group of solitary leafcutter bees, lacks comprehensive species‐level conservation and taxonomic assessments, potentially concealing population declines and extinctions.Megachile pruina is one of Bermuda's three bee species and possibly the last native bee on the island. Formerly distributed widely across the island, it is now restricted to a small 11.5 ha area within the Castle Harbour Islands Nature Reserve.Classified as ‘Vulnerable’ under the Bermuda Protected Species Act, its taxonomic and conservation status remains uncertain, particularly its evolutionary relationships with populations in the United States.Here, we analyse nuclear genomes and mitochondrial genomes to reveal that Bermuda's M. pruina population is genetically distinct from mainland US populations and show no close association with any sampled US population, suggesting that Bermuda's represent a unique evolutionary lineage.Our genetic diversity assessment shows lower genetic diversity in Bermuda's population compared with the United States, highlighting a higher level of vulnerability than originally thought.We recommend maintaining its current protection status and advocate for the pressing need of expanding ecological and biological studies to facilitate appropriate conservation and monitoring measures.
期刊介绍:
To publish papers of the highest scientific quality within the general area of insect (and other arthropods) conservation and diversity covering topics ranging from ecological theory to practical management.
Papers are invited on the following topics: Conservation genetics; Extinction debt; Long-term conservation planning and implementation; Global implications of local or national conservation actions; Management responses of species and communities; Captive breeding programs; Comparisons of restored and natural habitats; Biogeography; Global biodiversity; Metapopulation dynamics; Climate change: impacts on distributions and range; Invasive species: impacts and control; Effects of pollution; Genetic threats to diversity by introgression; Effects of fragmentation on diversity and distribution; Impact of agricultural and forestry practices on biodiversity; Enhancing urban environments for diversity and protection; Biodiversity action plans: can we scale up from insects?; Effectiveness and choice of indicator species; Soil biodiversity and interactions with above-ground biodiversity; Ecological interactions at local levels; Ecological and evolutionary factors influencing diversity and local, regional and global scales; Sustainable livelihoods and training on the ground; Integrating science and policy.