Direct and indirect effects of land use on microbiomes of trap-nesting solitary bee larvae and nests

Frontiers in Microbiology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15

Published: Jan. 8, 2025

The global decline in biodiversity and insect populations highlights the urgent need to conserve ecosystem functions, such as plant pollination by solitary bees. Human activities, particularly agricultural intensification, pose significant threats these essential services. Changes land use alter resource nest site availability, pesticide exposure other factors impacting richness, diversity, health of bee species. In this study, we investigated yet another facet currently less well context: Microbial communities associated with wild bees play crucial roles larval development, metabolism, immunity overall health. However, drivers dynamics healthy microbiome are still poorly understood, especially regarding direct indirect effects on diversity composition microbial communities. We examined bacterial offspring materials Megachilid trap-nesting bee, Osmia bicornis, along a gradient intensification 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. Given that landscape composition, climatic conditions, food resources known influence compositions species, hypothesized changes would available for material collection thereby affecting microbiomes their environments. anticipated reduced altered increased which is decrease number resources, including pool floral soil bacteria surrounding environment. As expected, observed shifts nests across varying degrees intensity, differing management types availability flowers. Shannon (larval pollen provision, enclosure) guts decreased increasing intensity. pupae remained unaffected, indicating reorganization during metamorphosis, not significantly influenced resources. Our findings provide new insights into shaping environmental transmission microbiomes. This understanding comprehending impacts intensive developing strategies mitigate effects.

Language: Английский

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New fungal core microbiome members of the ground nesting bee Andrena vaga: The key to oligolecty?

Basic and Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Targeted viromes and total metagenomes capture distinct components of bee gut phage communities

Microbiome, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12(1)

Published: Aug. 23, 2024

Abstract Background Despite being among the most abundant biological entities on earth, bacteriophage (phage) remain an understudied component of host-associated systems. One limitation to studying phage is lack consensus methods for sampling communities. Here, we compare paired total metagenomes and viral size fraction (viromes) as investigating dsDNA communities associated with GI tract two bee species: European honey Apis mellifera eastern bumble Bombus impatiens . Results We find that viromes successfully enriched phage, thereby increasing recovery, but only in bees. In contrast, bees, recovered greater diversity. Across both species, better sampled low occupancy while were biased towards temperate phage. Additionally, many captured by absent altogether from viromes. Comparing between show commercially reared bees are significantly reduced diversity compared likely reflecting differences bacterial titer a broader context, these results highlight complementary nature targeted viromes, especially when applied environments. Conclusions Overall, suggest studies interested assessing should consider using approaches. However, given constraints virome sampling, may serve sample understanding they will preferentially dominant

Language: Английский

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Microbiome composition and turnover in the face of complex lifecycles and bottlenecks: insights through the study of dung beetles

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 91(1)

Published: Dec. 20, 2024

Microbiome composition and function often change throughout a host's life cycle, reflecting shifts in the ecological niche of host. The mechanisms that establish these relationships are therefore important dimensions host ecology evolution; yet, their nature remains poorly understood. Here, we sought to investigate microbial communities associated with complex cycle dung beetle Onthophagus taurus relative contributions stage, sex, environment determining microbiome assembly. We find O. plays diverse microbiota undergo drastic community development, influenced by environmental microbiota, and, lesser degree, sex. Contrary predictions, found egg pupal stages-despite absence digestive tract or defined microbe-storing organs-do not constrain maintenance, while host-constructed environments, such as maternally derived fecal pellet chamber constructed late larvae, may still serve complementary refugia for select taxa. Lastly, identify small putative core likely shape development fitness. Our results provide insights into employed solitary organisms assemble, maintain, adjust beneficial confront life-stage-specific needs challenges. As influence symbionts on ecology, evolution, has become more apparent so importance understanding how hosts facilitate reliable maintenance interactions symbionts. A growing body work thus begun behaviors physiological underpinning selective colonization across range Yet, cycles, holometabolous insects, maintain key This is particularly interesting considering transformations both internal external morphology, diet environment, hallmark metamorphosis. investigates dynamic changes environments bull-headed beetle, taurus, useful model modulate development.

Language: Английский

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Direct and indirect effects of land use on microbiomes of trap-nesting solitary bee larvae and nests

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 28, 2024

The global decline in biodiversity and insect populations highlights the urgent to conserve ecosystem functions, such as plant pollination by solitary bees. Human activities, particularly agricultural intensification, pose significant threats these essential services. Changes land use alter resource nest site availability, pesticide exposure other factors impacting richness, diversity, health of bee species. In this study, we investigated yet another facet currently less well context: Microbial communities associated with wild bees play crucial roles larval development, metabolism, ­immunity overall health. However, drivers dynamics healthy microbiome are still poorly understood, especially regarding direct indirect effects on diversity composition microbial communities. We examined bacterial offspring materials Megachilid trap-nesting bee, O. bicornis,along a gradient intensification 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding. Given that landscape composition, climatic conditions, food resources known influence compositions species, hypothesized changes would available for material collection thereby affecting microbiomes their environments. anticipated reduced altered increased which is decrease number resources, including pool floral soil bacteria surrounding environment. As expected, observed shifts nests across varying degrees intensity, differing management types availability flowers. Shannon (larval pollen provision, enclosure) guts decreased increasing intensity. pupae remained unaffected, indicating reorganization during metamorphosis, not significantly influenced resources. Our findings provide new insights into shaping environmental transmission microbiomes. This understanding comprehending impacts intensive developing strategies mitigate effects.

Language: Английский

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The gut microbiome of honey-producing wasps has converged on that of social bees

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 27, 2024

ABSTRACT Honey-feeding social bees, including honey bees and bumble possess distinctive gut microbiomes that provide benefits to hosts, such as defense against pathogens parasites. Microbiome members are transmitted through interactions within colonies. The Mexican wasp ( Brachygastra mellifica) represents an independent origin of honey-storing a group Hymenoptera. Honey wasps feed on store honey, but they prey other insects protein source, do not consume pollen bees. We surveyed the across sites Texas using 16S rRNA community profiling, we estimated microbiome size qPCR. For comparison, also non-honey feeding from six families, collected in same region. found have large dominated by characteristic bacterial species, contrast wasps, which had smaller, more variable environmental bacteria. All contained strains Bifidobacterium Bombilactobacillus were closely related symbionts suggesting their acquisition via host-switching. Some individuals harbored close relative Candidatus Schmidhempelia bombi (Orbaceae), uncultured bee symbiont, again most prevalent species was Lactobacillus , L. acetotolerans potentially representing . switch feeding, combined with highly life history, appears facilitated establishment resembling those IMPORTANCE conserved among nestmates. bacteria consist host-associated benefit hosts providing parasites, contributing digestion. less studied, although some solitary Here, looked at diet much like predicting nectar stored available year-round enabled them acquire honey-feeding spp.) only honey. Their nests made paper, colonies survive for several years. similarities Several host switching. common member previously unknown Solitary paper make smaller bacteria, has shaped communities wasps.

Language: Английский

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Effects of live yeasts and their metabolic products on bumble bee microcolony development

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 8, 2024

Abstract Bumble bees can benefit from fungi, though the mechanisms underlying these benefits remain unknown and could include nutrition, resource supplementation, or pathogen protection. We tested how adding living yeasts their metabolic products to Bombus impatiens diets in a factorial experiment affects microcolony performance, including survival, reproduction, presence. additionally assessed effects of yeast treatments on diet (nectar pollen) chemical composition using untargeted metabolomics. Yeasts impacted reproduction but depended source colony. Colonies containing putative Aspergillus showed reduced prevalence. Yeast altered nectar pollen, most distinguishing compounds were unidentified. Our results suggest limited direct via modification diets, instead suggesting that may through interactions with pathogens . Overall, supplementation are context-dependent, more research is necessary better understand factors important determining impacts bee hosts.

Language: Английский

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