The angiosperm radiation played a dual role in the diversification of insects and insect pollinators

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(1)

Published: Jan. 22, 2024

Interactions with angiosperms have been hypothesised to play a crucial role in driving diversification among insects, particular emphasis on pollinator insects. However, support for coevolutionary insect-plant interactions is weak. Macroevolutionary studies of insect and plant diversities the hypothesis that diversified after peak diversity Early Cretaceous. Here, we used family-level fossil record insects as whole, families particular, estimate rates macroevolutionary history using Bayesian process-based approach. We found played dual changed through time, mitigating extinction Cretaceous promoting origination Cenozoic, which also recovered only. Although pollinated gymnosperms before angiosperm radiation, radiation new lineages began increased, particularly significant 50 Ma. global temperature, increases diversity, spore plants were strongly correlated rates, suggesting multiple drivers influenced arguing investigation different explanatory variables further studies.

Language: Английский

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Understanding and addressing shortfalls in European wild bee data

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 290, P. 110455 - 110455

Published: Jan. 25, 2024

Understanding and reversing biodiversity decline in the Anthropocene requires robust data on species taxonomic identity, distribution, ecology, population trends. Data deficits hinder assessments conservation, despite major advances over past few decades, our understanding of bee diversity, distribution Europe is still hampered by such shortfalls. Using a unique digital dataset wild occurrence we identify seven critical shortfalls which are an absence knowledge geographic distributions, (functional) trait variation, dynamics, evolutionary relationships, biotic interactions, tolerance to abiotic conditions. We describe "BeeFall," interactive online Shiny app tool, visualizes these highlights missing data. also define new impediment, Keartonian Impediment, addresses high-quality situ photos illustrations with diagnostic characteristics directly affects outlined Shortfalls highly correlated at both provincial national scales, identifying key areas where gaps can be filled. This work provides important first step towards long-term goal mobilize aggregate European into multi-scale, easy access, shareable, updatable database inform research, practice, policy actions for conservation bees.

Language: Английский

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Phylogenomics and biogeography of sawflies and woodwasps (Hymenoptera, Symphyta)

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 199, P. 108144 - 108144

Published: July 6, 2024

Phylogenomic approaches have recently helped elucidate various insect relationships, but large-scale comprehensive analyses on relationships within sawflies and woodwasps are still lacking. Here, we infer the long-term biogeographic history of these hymenopteran groups using a large dataset 354 UCE loci collected from 385 species that represent all major lineages. Early Hymenoptera started diversifying during Triassic ∼249 Ma spread over ancient supercontinent Pangaea. We recovered Xyeloidea as monophyletic sister group to other Pamphilioidea Unicalcarida. Within diverse family Tenthredinidae, our taxonomically geographically expanded taxon sampling highlights non-monophyly several traditionally defined subfamilies. In addition, recent removal Athalia related genera Tenthredinidae into separate Athaliidae is supported. The deep historical biogeography characterised by independent dispersals re-colonisations between northern (Laurasia) southern (Gondwana) palaeocontinents. breakup landmasses led vicariance in Gondwanan lineages, while interchange across Northern Hemisphere has continued until Recent. little-studied African sawfly fauna likewise mixture with varying routes colonization. Our results reveal interesting parallels evolution early hymenopterans groups.

Language: Английский

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Evolutionary implications of a deep‐time perspective on insect pollination

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 11, 2025

Plant pollination by insects represents one of the most transformative and iconic ecological relationships in natural world. Despite tens thousands papers, as well numerous books, on biology published over past 200 years, studies focused fossil record pollinating have only been last few decades, this field is still undergoing major developments. Current palaeontological evidence indicates that were diverse participated reproduction different gymnosperm lineages long before their association with flowering plants (angiosperms). However, since much literature remains unfamiliar to many scientists working extant plant-pollinator interactions, wider public, notion insect began origin angiosperms widespread. Herein we highlight how all known orders and/or extinct pollinator representatives radiated evolution plants. We also illustrate changing composition fauna through time, reflecting nature these communities compared those existing today. Addressing plant from a perspective skewed towards present-day biological groups, patterns, processes risks missing an important deep-time evolutionary component. Our conclusions show fundamental elucidating pollination, informing interactions.

Language: Английский

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The radiation of Hymenoptera illuminated by Bayesian inferences from the fossil record

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Evolving perspectives in Hymenoptera systematics: Bridging fossils and genomes across time

Systematic Entomology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: July 18, 2024

Abstract The recent advances in sequencing technologies, phylogenomics and divergence dating methods call for an integrative review of the current state Hymenoptera systematics. We here explore impact these latest developments on phylogeny our understanding timing evolution, while identifying methodological constraints persistent knowledge gaps that warrant further investigation. Our highlights lack consensus among backbone between key phylogenomic studies, as higher level remains unresolved nodes such relationships Eusymphyta, within Infraorder Proctotrupomorpha placements superfamilies Ichneumonoidea, Ceraphronoidea Vespoidea. Furthermore, we underline huge variation age estimates detect several major and/or disagreements fossil record available estimates, either due to poorly studied or problematic both. To better understand evolution role diversification factors, will need continuous efforts (i) reconcile conflicts morphological molecular phylogenies, by improving taxon sampling underrepresented lineages, applying novel techniques study morphology, making use genome‐scale data critically assessing incongruences genetic markers; (ii) improve record, exercising taxonomy bringing together paleontologists neontologists; (iii) relying tip approaches bridge fossils, morphology genomes across time.

Language: Английский

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A supermatrix phylogeny of the world’s bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila)

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 190, P. 107963 - 107963

Published: Nov. 14, 2023

The increasing availability of large molecular phylogenies has provided new opportunities to study the evolution species traits, their origins and diversification, biogeography; yet there are limited attempts synthesise existing phylogenetic information for major insect groups. Bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) a group pollinators that have worldwide distribution, wide variation in ecology, morphology, life-history including sociality. For these reasons, as well economic importance pollinators, numerous studies family genus-level relationships been published, providing an opportunity assemble bee 'tree-of-life'. We used publicly available genetic sequence data, phylogenomic reconciled taxonomic database, produce concatenated supermatrix phylogeny Anthophila comprising 4,586 species, representing 23% 82% genera. At family, subfamily, tribe levels, support expected was robust, but between within some genera remain uncertain. Within families, sampling ranged from 67 100% coverage lower (17-41%). Our mostly reproduces found recent with few exceptions. provide summary differences current state data its gaps. discuss advantages limitations this (available online at beetreeoflife.org), which may enable insights into long standing questions about evolutionary drivers bees, potentially insects more generally.

Language: Английский

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Lessons from assembling UCEs: A comparison of common methods and the case of Clavinomia (Halictidae)

Molecular Ecology Resources, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 24(3)

Published: Jan. 6, 2024

Sequence data assembly is a foundational step in high-throughput sequencing, with untold consequences for downstream analyses. Despite this, few studies have interrogated the many methods assembling phylogenomic UCE their comparative efficacy, or how outputs may be impacted. We study this by comparing most commonly used UCEs under-studied bee lineage Nomiinae and representative sampling of relatives. Data 63 UCE-only 75 mixed taxa were assembled five methods, including ABySS, HybPiper, SPAdes, Trinity Velvet, then benchmarked relative performance terms locus capture parameters phylogenetic reconstruction. Unexpectedly, Velvet trailed other DNA matrix density, whereas SPAdes performed favourably assessed metrics. In comparison guided-assembly approach HybPiper generally recovered highest quality loci but lower numbers. Based on our results, we formally move Clavinomia to Dieunomiini render Epinomia once more subgenus Dieunomia. strongly advise that future closely examine influence or, minimally, use better-performing such as HybPiper. way, can forward standardized, comparable manner.

Language: Английский

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The earliest large carpenter bee (Xylocopa) and its adhering pollen (Araliaceae, Theaceae)

Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 104(4), P. 949 - 962

Published: May 23, 2024

Abstract The association of pollinators with their host plants is a critical element ecosystem functioning and one that usually determined indirectly in the fossil record from specific morphological traits flowers or putative pollinating animals. exceptionally fine preservation at Messel, Germany, offers an excellent source data on pollen as well preserved adhering to insects direct evidence floral lineages. Here, we report recovered body legs large carpenter bee (Apidae: Xylocopinae: Xylocopini) Eocene Messel. earliest occurrence tribe Xylocopini represents extinct subgenus species, described Xylocopa ( Apocolyx ) primigenia subgen. et sp. nov. Two eudicot types were bee, family Theaceae (Asterids: Ericales) another Araliaceae (Euasterids: Apiales). grains are compared various extant types, visitors modern theaceous araliaceous explored relation understanding these paratropical biota

Language: Английский

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Global patterns and drivers of buzzing bees and poricidal plants

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 34(14), P. 3055 - 3063.e5

Published: June 25, 2024

Language: Английский

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