Wild Bee Nutritional Ecology: Integrative Strategies to Assess Foraging Preferences and Nutritional Requirements

Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 6

Published: April 14, 2022

Bees depend on flowering plants for their nutrition, and reduced availability of floral resources is a major driver declines in both managed wild bee populations. Understanding the nutritional needs different species, how these are met by varying provided plant taxa, can greatly inform land management recommendations to support populations associated ecosystem services. However, most nutrition research has focused three commonly commercially reared taxa—honey bees, bumble mason bees—with fewer studies bees other such as leafcutting stingless alkali bees. Thus, we have limited information about requirements foraging preferences vast majority species. Here, discuss approaches traditionally used understand ecology: identification visitors selected focal evaluation adults species (larvae or adults) controlled settings, examine methods may be adapted study wider range We also highlight emerging technologies that potential facilitate ecology well evaluate at significantly larger spatio-temporal scales than were previously feasible. While focus this review many techniques applied pollinator taxa well.

Language: Английский

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Validating a multi-locus metabarcoding approach for characterizing mixed-pollen samples

Plant Methods, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 19(1)

Published: Nov. 4, 2023

The mutualistic interaction between entomophilous plants and pollinators is fundamental to the structure of most terrestrial ecosystems. sensitive nature this relationship has been disrupted by anthropogenic modifications natural landscapes, warranting development new methods for exploring trophic interaction. Characterizing composition pollen collected pollinators, e.g. Apis mellifera, a common means relationship, but traditional microscopic assessment are laborious limited in their scope. metabarcoding as method rapidly characterizing abundance diversity within mixed samples presents frontier type work, may have limitations, validation warranted before any suite primers can be confidently used research program. We set out evaluate utility an integrative approach, using established (ITS2 rbcL) versus melissopalynological analysis 27 mixed-pollen from agricultural sites across Canada.Both individual markers performed well relative melissopalynology at family level with decreases strength correlation linear model fits genus level. Integrating data both together via multi-locus approach provided best rank-based metagenetic (ρ = 0.659; p < 0.001) 0.830; 0.001). Species accumulation curves indicated that, after controlling sampling effort, characterization provides similar or higher species richness estimates than either marker. number plant discovered simply reflects vastly greater effort comparison melissopalynology.Pollen approach. Limitations quantitative application addressed adopting that integrates information multiple markers.

Language: Английский

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Native solitary bee reproductive success depends on early season precipitation and host plant richness

Oecologia, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 201(4), P. 965 - 978

Published: March 22, 2023

Language: Английский

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Biomonitoring via DNA metabarcoding and light microscopy of bee pollen in rainforest transformation landscapes of Sumatra

BMC Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 22(1)

Published: April 26, 2022

Abstract Background Intense conversion of tropical forests into agricultural systems contributes to habitat loss and the decline ecosystem functions. Plant-pollinator interactions buffer process forest fragmentation, ensuring gene flow across isolated patches by pollen transfer. In this study, we identified composition grains stored in pot-pollen stingless bees, Tetragonula laeviceps , via dual-locus DNA metabarcoding (ITS2 rbcL ) light microscopy, compared taxonomic coverage sampled distinct land-use categorized four levels management intensity (forest, shrub, rubber, oil palm) for landscape characterization. Results Plant differed significantly between microscopy. The overlap plant families microscopy techniques was low ranged from 22.6 27.8%. Taxonomic assignments showed a dominance bee-pollinated plants, including oil-bearing crops such as introduced species Elaeis guineensis (Arecaceae) one predominant taxa samples all types. Native Moraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Cannabaceae appeared high proportion analyzed material. One-way ANOVA (p > 0.05), PERMANOVA (R² values range 0.14003 0.17684, tests p-value 0.5), NMDS (stress ranging 0.1515 0.1859) indicated lack differentiation diversity type types, supporting influx adjacent areas. Conclusions Stingless bees collected variety crops, weeds, wild plants. detected at family level likely reflects rather than plot level. our colonies installed with transformation highly homogeneous, reflecting large transported through Dual-locus approach applied studies visual identification great differences detection community, therefore combination both methods is recommended performing biodiversity assessments identification.

Language: Английский

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How reliable is metabarcoding for pollen identification? An evaluation of different taxonomic assignment strategies by cross-validation

PeerJ, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12, P. e16567 - e16567

Published: Jan. 31, 2024

Metabarcoding is a powerful tool, increasingly used in many disciplines of environmental sciences. However, to assign taxon DNA sequence, bioinformaticians need choose between different strategies or parameter values and these choices sometimes seem rather arbitrary. In this work, we present case study on ITS2 rbcL databases identify pollen collected by bees Belgium. We blasted random sample sequences from the reference database against remainder using compared known taxonomy with predicted one. This silico cross-validation (CV) approach proved be an easy yet way (1) assess relative accuracy taxonomic predictions, (2) define rules discard dubious assignments (3) provide more objective basis best strategy. obtained results blast hit (best bit score) than selecting majority top 10 hits. The predictions were further improved favouring most frequent among those tied scores. better containing full available NCBI restricting region amplified primers chosen our study. Leaked CV showed that when true sequence database, might still struggle match right at species level, particularly . Classical 10-fold CV—where removed database—offers realistic view error rates. Taxonomic worked well up genus for (5–7% errors). Using only local flora Belgium did not improve level made them worse foreign species. At exclusively ∼12% but rate remained high: 25% 42% Foreign performed even world (59–79% classification trees GLMs model % errors vs identity consensus scores determine appropriate thresholds below which assignment should discarded. resulted significant reduction prediction errors, cost much higher proportion unassigned sequences. Despite stringent filtering, least 1/5 deemed suitable species-level identification ultimately misidentified. An examination variability plant families outperformed two 27 examined, correct some ( e.g 95% Sapindaceae) others 35% Salicaceae).

Language: Английский

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Flower–bee versus pollen–bee metanetworks in fragmented landscapes

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 291(2023)

Published: May 1, 2024

Understanding the organization of mutualistic networks at multiple spatial scales is key to ensure biological conservation and functionality in human-modified ecosystems. Yet, how changing habitat landscape features affect pollen-bee interaction still poorly understood. Here, we analysed bee-flower visitation bee-pollen-transport interactions respond fragmentation local network regional metanetwork scales, combining data from 29 fragments calcareous grasslands, an endangered biodiversity hotspot central Europe. We found that only 37% total unique pairwise species occurred both pollen-transport flower networks, whereas 28% 35% were exclusive respectively. At level, specialization was higher negatively related diversity land cover types types. pollen transport revealed proportion single-fragment increased with diversity. Our results show grasslands' plant-pollinator decreases diversity, but underestimated when based on information. Pollen data, more than visitation, multi-scale analyses metanetworks are fundamental for understanding human-dominated landscapes.

Language: Английский

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Unraveling the potential of environmental DNA for deciphering recent advances in plant–animal interactions: a systematic review

Planta, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 258(6)

Published: Nov. 13, 2023

Language: Английский

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A primer on pollen assignment by nanopore-based DNA sequencing

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: March 14, 2023

The possibility to identify plants based on the taxonomic information coming from their pollen grains offers many applications within various biological disciplines. In past and depending application or research in question, origin was analyzed by microscopy, usually preceded chemical treatment methods. This procedure for identification of is both time-consuming requires expert knowledge morphological features. Additionally, these microscopically recognizable features have a low resolution at species-level. Since few decades, DNA has been used taxa, as sequencing technologies evolved handling affordability. We discuss advantages challenges analyses compared traditional With readers with little experience this field mind, we present hands-on primer genetic analysis nanopore sequencing. As our lab mainly works collected agroecological projects, focus pollinating insects. briefly consider sample collection, storage processing laboratory well bioinformatic aspects. Currently, metabarcoding mostly conducted next-generation methods that generate short sequence reads (&lt;1 kb). Increasingly, however, carried out using long-read generating (several kb), low-budget mobile MinION platform Oxford Nanopore Technologies. Therefore, are focusing aspects palynology device.

Language: Английский

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More complex than you think: Taxonomic and temporal patterns of plant–pollinator networks of caraway (Carum carvi L.)

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 32(13), P. 3702 - 3717

Published: April 2, 2023

Caraway (Carum carvi L.) is a crop species that gaining in importance Europe, especially as condiment and medicinal plant. Here, we present the plant-pollinator network of caraway central European agricultural landscape, focusing on two diverse potential pollinator taxa, Diptera: Brachycera (= true flies) Hymenoptera (sawflies, bees, wasps). We specifically studied qualitative differences interactions between insect taxa well intraday intraseasonal variability network. Insect pollen plant determination was done via morphological identification DNA (meta)barcoding. In total, 121 representing 33 families were found to carry pollen. These included many nonhoneybee nonhoverfly species, showing wide taxonomic breadth pollinators higher complexity than previously anticipated. There are distinct networks, suggesting complementary roles both pollination native plants. Strong diversity make it necessary collect insects at different times day compile complete networks. Intraseasonal analyses show an important food source for with activity peak late summer.

Language: Английский

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Investigating the use of pollen DNA metabarcoding to quantify bee foraging and effects of threshold selection

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(4), P. e0282715 - e0282715

Published: April 18, 2023

DNA metabarcoding of pollen is a useful tool for studying bee foraging ecology. However, several questions about this method remain unresolved, including the extent to which sequence read data quantitative, type count removal threshold use and how that choice affects our ability detect rare flower visits, artefacts may confound conclusions behavior. To address these questions, we isolated from five plant species created treatments comprised each alone combinations multiple varied in richness evenness. We used ITS2 rbcL identify samples, compared proportion by mass sequencing reads treatment, analyzed using both liberal conservative thresholds. collected bees, those samples threshold, differences pollinator networks constructed data. Regardless used, relationship between was inconsistent, suggesting number poor proxy abundance mixed-species samples. Using resulted greater detection original mixtures but also detected additional single-species The reduced detected, were not above resulting false negatives. Pollinator produced two thresholds differed illustrated tradeoffs estimation network complexity. Threshold selection can have major effect on drawn studies study plant-pollinator interactions.

Language: Английский

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