Can the Rusty Patched Bumblebee Survive in the Wild?
A new genetic study has shed light on the endangered rusty patched bumblebee, offering insights that may help conservation efforts for the species. Researchers are working diligently to understand the genetic secrets critical to the bee’s survival, in hopes of reversing the population decline that has plagued the species for the past two decades.
**Genetic Research for Conservation**
Jade Kochanski, a PhD student in integrative biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is on a mission to capture and identify rusty patched bumblebees in the wild. Through meticulous measurements and genetic sampling, researchers like Kochanski are able to analyze DNA to estimate colony numbers, identify inbreeding patterns, and assess genetic diversity within the rusty patched bumblebee populations.
Once abundant across the eastern United States and Canada, rusty patched bumblebee populations have drastically declined by almost 90 percent due to various factors such as habitat loss, pesticide use, pathogens, and climate change. Today, the bees are only found in a fraction of their former range, with scattered populations in the Upper Midwest and Northeast United States. In 2017, the rusty patched bumblebee became the first bumblebee species to be listed as endangered in the United States.
**Conservation Efforts and Challenges**
In response to the listing, researchers have been working diligently to collect tissue samples from rusty patched bumblebees across their range. The genetic study published in the Journal of Insect Science provides critical information that can aid in the conservation of the species. However, the findings also raise concerns about the bee’s ability to recover. Tamara Smith, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s lead biologist for the rusty patched bumblebee, emphasizes the importance of understanding the genetic health of the species to implement effective conservation strategies.
The study revealed a surprisingly low number of rusty patched bumblebee colonies, even in areas where the bee was thought to be prevalent. This poses significant risks for the species, making them vulnerable to local extinction from unpredictable events such as prairie fires. Land managers will need to be strategic in managing prairies within the bee’s range to ensure their survival.
Furthermore, the study identified signs of inbreeding in the bumblebee populations, which could make them more susceptible to diseases and environmental changes. Genetic analyses showed that 15 percent of males were diploid, indicating a lack of genetic diversity within the colonies. This raises concerns about the long-term viability of the species and the challenges they may face in recovering their populations.
**Implications for Conservation and Management**
The genetic study also identified three distinct populations of rusty patched bumblebees in Minnesota, the central Midwest, and the Appalachians. This finding underscores the importance of managing the species at a regional level to preserve genetic diversity and ensure their long-term survival. Jay Watson, a conservation biologist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, highlights the need for localized conservation efforts to protect the unique genetic makeup of each population.
Rich Hatfield, a senior endangered species conservation biologist at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, hopes that the information generated from the study will influence future development projects that could harm rusty patched bumblebees. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining genetic diversity within the species to ensure their resilience to environmental changes and threats.
**Future Directions for Research and Conservation**
While the study has provided valuable insights into the genetic health of the rusty patched bumblebee, researchers acknowledge that more work is needed to fully understand the species’ decline and recovery prospects. New genetic markers are being used to conduct fine-scale evaluations of the populations, which will help track changes in demographics over time.
Despite the challenges facing the rusty patched bumblebee, researchers remain optimistic about the species’ potential for recovery. Tamara Smith stresses the importance of continued conservation efforts and the need for proactive measures to protect the bees and their habitats. With ongoing research and conservation initiatives, there is hope that the rusty patched bumblebee can thrive once again in the wild.
