Distinct genome architecture underlies fine-scale population differentiation in two common European bumblebees (Bombus pascuorumandBombus lapidarius)

Author:

Cobb LaurenORCID,Sydenham Markus A. K.,Nielsen Anders,Star Bastiaan

Abstract

AbstractBumblebees are keystone pollinators which facilitate the reproduction of a wide range of wild and agricultural plants. Their abundance and diversity have been severely reduced by anthropogenic stressors such as land-use change and widespread habitat fragmentation. However, we lack a comprehensive understanding of bumblebee population structure and local adaptation in response to human-altered landscapes. We here discover surprisingly fine-scaled population structure (e.g. ∼300km) within two widely occurring bumblebee species,Bombus lapidariusandBombus pascuorum, by analysing whole genome data of 106 specimens from 7 sites in Northern Europe. Our sample range encompasses a mosaic of land-use types with varying levels of habitat fragmentation and natural oceanic barriers. While the observed population structure is largely associated with reduced gene flow across natural barriers, we also detect significant divergence between populations sampled from more fragmented, agricultural landscapes. Furthermore, we identify species-specific patterns of population structure which are underpinned by distinct genomic architecture. Whereas genetic divergence inB. lapidariusis spread relatively evenly across the genome, divergence inB. pascuorumis concentrated within several megabase-sized genomic regions with significantly elevated differentiation – including a putative chromosomal inversion – which may underlie well-known colour polymorphisms across its range. Our observations reveal unexpectedly high levels of inter- and intraspecific genomic diversity within the bumblebee genus, and highlight the necessity of increasing our understanding of bumblebee population structure and connectivity to design optimal bumblebee conservation strategies.Significance statementAnthropogenic stressors such as habitat fragmentation have severe impacts on bumblebee abundance and diversity, yet little is known about how bumblebee populations are structured in human-altered landscapes. We analyse whole-genome data from two common bumblebee species (Bombus lapidariusandBombus pascuorum) across Northern Europe to uncover species-specific patterns of spatial population differentiation and local adaptation, including a chromosomal rearrangement inB. pascuorum. Importantly, our results imply that many of the fragmented bumblebee habitats in Europe comprise locally distinct populations with limited gene flow in between. These findings are therefore of major importance for our overall understanding of bumblebee genomic variation, connectivity and adaptation, offering fundamental insights that are required to effectively mitigate the effects of human activities on wild bee biodiversity.

Publisher

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3