Conservation genomics reveals pesticide and pathogen exposure in the declining bumble bee Bombus terricola.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, many pollinators have experienced large population declines, which threaten food security and the stability of natural ecosystems. Bumble bees are particularly important because their ability to "buzz" pollinate and tolerate cooler conditions make them critical pollinators for certain plants and regions. Here, we apply a conservation genomics approach to study the vulnerable Bombus terricola. We sequenced RNA from 30 worker abdomens, 18 of which were collected from agricultural sites and 12 of which were collected from nonagricultural sites. We found transcriptional signatures associated with exposure to insecticides, with gene expression patterns suggesting that bumble bees were exposed to neonicotinoids and/or fipronil-two compounds known to negatively impact bees. We al

SUBMITTER: Tsvetkov N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8457087 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature