Threatened bumblebee populations in England and Wales face severe genetic declines
A new study reveals that an important pollinator is rapidly losing genetic diversity in Britain. Moss carder bumblebees were once widespread across the UK, living in flower-rich meadows, marshes and heathlands, where they pollinated a wide variety of plants. However, the loss of these habitats has caused the species to retreat into strongholds along the country's coasts and islands.
A new study has found that bumblebees known as moss carder bumblebees are experiencing a rapid decline in genetic diversity across Britain. Once common in flower-rich meadows, marshes, and heathlands, these pollinators have retreated to coastal and island areas due to habitat loss. As their populations become isolated and smaller, the bees are losing genetic diversity and becoming more inbred.
By analyzing DNA from specimens stored in museums, researchers discovered that the genetic diversity of moss carder bumblebees in Britain has decreased by about a quarter over the past 100 years. In England and Wales, the proportion of the genome affected by inbreeding has tripled, indicating that these populations are increasingly fragmented.
The speed at which genetic diversity is being lost is described as "unexpectedly high." Scottish Highlands populations of these bees, while also declining, seem to be less affected by habitat fragmentation due to better connectivity between their habitats. Restoring genetic diversity in English and Welsh populations could involve introducing individuals from the Scottish Highlands, but this would first require addressing the causes of the bumblebees' decline.
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