Forage use and niche partitioning by non-native bumblebees in New Zealand: implications for the conservation of their populations of origin
Tóm tắt
Bumblebees were introduced into New Zealand from the UK approximately 120 years ago and four species became established. Two of these, Bombus terrestris and B. hortorum, are common in Europe whilst two, B. ruderatus and B. subterraneus, have experienced declines, and the latter is now extinct in the UK. The presence of these species in New Zealand presents an opportunity to study their ecology in a contrasting environment. Forage visits made by bumblebees in New Zealand were recorded across a season. Ninety-six percent of visits were to six non-native forage plants (Cirsium vulgare, Echium vulgare, Hypericum perforatum, Lotus corniculatus, Lupinus polyphyllus and Trifolium pratense). All but L. polyphyllus are European plant species, and three are noxious weeds in New Zealand. Several of these plants have decreased in abundance in the UK, providing a potential explanation for the declines of B. ruderatus and B. subterraneus in Britain. In contrast to studies conducted elsewhere, B. ruderatus, B. terrestris and B. hortorum did not differ in diet breadth and overlap in forage use was high, probably due to the reduced diversity of bumblebee forage plants present in New Zealand. Diel partitioning of forage use between the species was observed, with foraging activity of B. hortorum greatest in the morning and evening, B. ruderatus greatest in the middle of the day and B. terrestris intermediate between the two. These patterns correspond to the climatic preferences of each species as evidenced by their geographic ranges. Implications for bumblebee conservation in the UK are discussed.
Tài liệu tham khảo
Barthell JF, Randall JM, Thorp RW, Wenner AM (2001) Promotion of seed set in yellow star-thistle by honey bees: evidence of an invasive mutualism. Ecol Appl 11:1870–1883
Carvell C, Meek WR, Pywell RF, Nowakowski M (2004) The response of bumblebees to successional change in newly created arable field margins. Biol Conserv 118:327–339
Carvell C, Roy DB, Smart SM, Pywell RF, Preston CD, Goulson D (2006a) Declines in forage availability for bumblebees at a national scale. Biol Conserv 132:481–489
Carvell C, Westrich P, Meek WR, Pywell RF, Nowakowski M (2006b) Assessing the value of annual and perennial forage mixtures for bumblebees by direct observation and pollen analysis. Apidologie 37:326–340
Carvell C, Meek WR, Pywell RF, Goulson D, Nowakowski M (2007) Comparing the efficiency of agri-environment schemes to enhance bumble bee abundance and diversity on arable field margins. J Appl Ecol 44:29–40
Colwell RK, Futuyma DJ (1971) On the measurement of niche breadth and overlap. Ecol 52:567–576
Donovan BJ (1980) Interactions between native and introduced bees in New Zealand. NZ J Ecol 3:104–116
Donovan BJ, Weir SS (1978) Development of hives for field population increase, and studies on the life cycle of the four species of introduced bumble bees in New Zealand. NZ J Agric Res 21:733–756
Edwards M, Jenner M (2005) Field guide to the bumblebees of Great Britain and Ireland. Ocelli, UK
Fussell M, Corbet SA (1992) The nesting places of some British bumble bees. J Apic Res 31:32–41
Goulson D (2003) Effects of introduced bees on native ecosystems. Annu Rev Ecol Evol Syst 34:1–26
Goulson D (2009) Short-haired bumblebee reintroduction project storms ahead!. Buzzword: Newslett Bumblebee Conserv Trust 11:8–9
Goulson D, Darvill B (2004) Niche overlap and diet breadth in bumblebees. Are rare species more specialized in their choice of flowers? Apidologie 35:55–64
Goulson D, Derwent LC (2004) Synergistic interactions between an exotic honeybee and an exotic weed: pollination of Lantana camara in Australia. Weed Res 44:195–202
Goulson D, Hanley ME (2004) Distribution and forage use of exotic bumblebees in South Island, New Zealand. NZ J Ecol 28:225–232
Goulson D, Stout JC, Kells AR (2002) Do alien bumblebees compete with native flower-visiting insects in Tasmania? J Insect Conserv 6:179–189
Goulson D, Hanley ME, Darvill B, Ellis JS, Knight ME (2005) Causes of rarity in bumblebees. Biol Conserv 122:1–8
Goulson D, Lye GC, Darvill B (2008a) Decline and conservation of bumble bees. Annu Rev Entomol 53:191–208
Goulson D, Lye GC, Darvill B (2008b) Diet breadth, coexistence and rarity in bumblebees. Biodivers Conserv 17:3269–3288
Grime JP, Hodgson JG, Hunt R (1988) Comparative plant ecology. Unwin Hyman, London
Hanley ME, Goulson D (2003) Introduced weeds pollinated by introduced bees: cause or effect? Weed Biol Manag 3:204–212
Hanley ME, Franco M, Pichon S, Darvill B, Goulson D (2008) Breeding system, pollinator choice and variation in pollen quality in British herbaceous plants. Funct Ecol 22:592–598
Harder LD (1985) Morphology as a predictor of flower choice by bumblebees. Ecol 66:198–210
Hasselrot TB (1960) Studies on Swedish bumble bees (genus Bombus Latr.); their domestication and biology. Opusc Entomol Suppl 17:1–192
Hingston AB, McQuillan PB (1998) Does the recently introduced bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Apidae) threaten Australian ecosystems? Aust J Ecol 23:539–549
Hopkins I (1914) History of the bumblebee in New Zealand: its introduction and results. NZ Dep Agric Ind Commer 46:1–29
Inouye DW (1978) Resource partitioning in bumblebees: experimental studies of foraging behaviour. Ecol 59:672–678
MacFarlane RP (1976) Bees and pollination. In: Ferro DN (ed) New Zealand insect pests. Lincoln University College of Agriculture, New Zealand, pp 221–229
MacFarlane RP, Gurr L (1995) Distribution of bumble bees in New Zealand. NZ Entomol 18:29–36
Matsumara C, Nakajima M, Yokoyama J, Waishitini I (2004) High reproductive ability of an alien bumblebee invader, Bombus terrestris, L., in the Hidaka region of southern Hokkaido, Japan. Jpn J Conserv Ecol 9:93–102
Pyke GH (1982) Local geographic distributions of bumblebees near Crested Butte, Colorado: competition and community structure. Ecol 63:555–573
Ranta E, Lundberg H (1980) Resource partitioning in bumblebees: the significance of differences in proboscis length. Oikos 35:298–302
Rich TCG, Woodruff ER (1996) Changes in the vascular plant floras of England and Scotland between 1930–1960 and 1987–1988: The BSBI monitoring scheme. Biol Conserv 75:217–229
Semmens TD, Turner E, Buttermore R (1993) Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) now established in Tasmania. J Aust Entomol Soc 32:346
Simpson GH (1949) Measurement of diversity. Nat 163:688
Sladen FWL (1912) The humble-bee, its life history and how to domesticate it. Macmillan, UK
Stout JC, Kells AR, Goulson D (2002) Pollination of the invasive exotic shrub Lupinus arboreus (Fabaceae) by introduced bees in Tasmania. Biol Conserv 106:425–434
Thomson DM (2006) Competitive interactions between the invasive European honey bee and native bumble bees. Ecol 85:458–470
Weiner CN, Hilpert A, Werner M, Linsenmair KE, Blüthgen N (2010) Pollen amino acids and flower specialisation in solitary bees. Apidologie (in press). doi:10.1051/apido/2009083
Williams PH (1986) Environmental change and the distribution of British bumblebees (Bombus Latr.). Bee world 67:50–61
Williams PH (2005) Does specialization explain rarity and decline among British bumblebees? A response to Goulson et al. Biol Conserv 122:33–43