Dissertation Research: Competition Between Invasive Social Bees and Native Solitary Bees

9801274 Thomson这项研究将评估欧洲蜜蜂Apis mellifera对本地独居蜜蜂Osmia pumila的影响。以前的研究调查的影响，入侵的社会昆虫集中在本地社会物种。这项研究的重点是本地孤立的物种，这可能是更容易受到社会物种的竞争。竞争效应相对于其他影响O.将通过实地和围栏研究确定小白熊的适合度。田间试验将提供衡量O.不同蜜蜂密度下的白蜡虫。相互作用的机制将通过研究可能的变化，在资源利用的O。与蜜蜂密度增加有关的矮缩。围隔实验将测试竞争对O.通过增加寄生率介导的小矮树适合度。这两种方法的数据将允许一些预测O。不同竞争制度下的白榆种群动态这些实验将及时提供关于一种普遍存在和多产的引进物种的信息，这些物种的有益和有害影响目前正在生态和农业领域进行辩论。该系统的独特功能允许一个强大的实验设计，但其结果广泛适用于生物入侵的工作，特别是那些涉及社会昆虫。

9801274 Thomson This research will assess the effect of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, on the native solitary bee, Osmia pumila. Previous studies investigating the effects of invasive social insects concentrated on native social species. This study focuses on native solitary species, which may be more vulnerable to competition with social species. The importance of competitive effects relative to other factors influencing O. pumila fitness will be determined with field and enclosure studies. Field experiments will provide measures of reproductive success of O. pumila at different densities of honey bees. The mechanism of interaction will be investigated by examining possible shifts in resource use of O. pumila associated with increased honey bee density. Enclosure experiments will test for indirect effects of competition on O. pumila fitness mediated through increased parasitism rates. Data from both approaches will allow some predictions of O. pumila population dynamics under different competitive regimes. These experiments will yield timely information on a ubiquitous and prolific introduced species whose beneficial and detrimental impacts are being debated currently in ecological and agricultural arenas. This system's unique features allow a robust experimental design, but the results are broadly applicable to work on biological invasions, particularly those involving social insects.