Contrasting patterns from two invasion fronts suggest a niche shift of an invasive predator of native bees.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The accuracy of predictions of invasive species ranges is dependent on niche similarity between invasive and native populations and on our ability to identify the niche characteristics. With this work we aimed to compare the niche dynamics of two genetically related invasive populations of Vespa velutina (an effective predator of honeybees and wild pollinators), in two distinct climatic regions, one in central Europe and another one in the north-western Iberian Peninsula, and hence to identify uninvaded regions susceptible to invasion.

Methods

Niche dynamics and shifts of V. velutina were assessed by comparing the environmental niches of the native and of the two invasive populations, using climatic, topographic and land use variables. We also ran re

SUBMITTER: Verdasca MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9104094 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature