An interspecific comparison of foraging range and nest density of four bumblebee (Bombus) species
An interspecific comparison of foraging range and nest density of four bumblebee (Bombus) species
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DOI：
10.1111/j.1365-294x.2005.02540.x
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发表时间：
2005-05-01
影响因子：
4.9
通讯作者：
Goulson, D
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Knight, ME;Martin, AP;Goulson, D
大黄蜂是北温带地区农作物和野花的主要传粉者。了解它们的生态对于设计有效的管理和保护战略是至关重要的，但对关键方面的了解仍然很少。本文采用微卫星标记法对4种英国种Bombus terrestris、Bombus pascuorum、Bombus lapidarius和Bombus pratorum的觅食范围和巢密度进行了估算和比较。工人们沿着一条1.5公里的横跨耕地的线形样带取样。然后用8或9个多态微卫星标记来鉴定推定的姐妹。根据前人的研究，估计最大觅食范围最大的是陆地小蠊（758 m），最小的是草原小蠊（449 m）。石纹小蠊的估算值与草原小蠊相近（450 m），而草原小蠊的估算值介于中间（674 m）。由于蜜蜂可利用的饲料面积随着觅食范围的平方而增加，这些差异对应于不同种类的大黄蜂巢穴使用面积的三倍变化。对这些差异的可能解释进行了讨论。采样时的巢密度估计值分别为29、68、117和26/km(2)，分别为陆地小蠊、草原小蠊、石纹小蠊和草原小蠊。这些数据表明，即使在最常见的英国大黄蜂物种中，它们的生态基本方面也存在显著差异，这一发现应该反映在管理和保护策略中。
Bumblebees are major pollinators of crops and wildflowers in northern temperate regions. Knowledge of their ecology is vital for the design of effective management and conservation strategies but key aspects remain poorly understood. Here we employed microsatellite markers to estimate and compare foraging range and nest density among four UK species: Bombus terrestris, Bombus pascuorum, Bombus lapidarius, and Bombus pratorum. Workers were sampled along a 1.5-km linear transect across arable farmland. Eight or nine polymorphic microsatellite markers were then used to identify putative sisters. In accordance with previous studies, minimum estimated maximum foraging range was greatest for B. terrestris (758 m) and least for B. pascuorum (449 m). The estimate for B. lapidarius was similar to B. pascuorum (450 m), while that of B. pratorum was intermediate (674 m). Since the area of forage available to bees increases as the square of foraging range, these differences correspond to a threefold variation in the area used by bumblebee nests of different species. Possible explanations for these differences are discussed. Estimates for nest density at the times of sampling were 29, 68, 117, and 26/km(2) for B. terrestris, B. pascuorum, B. lapidarius and B. pratorum, respectively. These data suggest that even among the most common British bumblebee species, significant differences in fundamental aspects of their ecology exist, a finding that should be reflected in management and conservation strategies.