Temperature and livestock grazing trigger transcriptome responses in bumblebees along an elevational gradient
Please always quote using this URN: urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-301276
- Climate and land-use changes cause increasing stress to pollinators but the molecular pathways underlying stress responses are poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the transcriptomic response of Bombus lucorum workers to temperature and livestock grazing. Bumblebees sampled along an elevational gradient, and from differently managed grassland sites (livestock grazing vs unmanaged) in the German Alps did not differ in the expression of genes known for thermal stress responses. Instead, metabolic energy production pathways were upregulated inClimate and land-use changes cause increasing stress to pollinators but the molecular pathways underlying stress responses are poorly understood. Here, we analyzed the transcriptomic response of Bombus lucorum workers to temperature and livestock grazing. Bumblebees sampled along an elevational gradient, and from differently managed grassland sites (livestock grazing vs unmanaged) in the German Alps did not differ in the expression of genes known for thermal stress responses. Instead, metabolic energy production pathways were upregulated in bumblebees sampled in mid- or high elevations or during cool temperatures. Extensive grazing pressure led to an upregulation of genetic pathways involved in immunoregulation and DNA-repair. We conclude that widespread bumblebees are tolerant toward temperature fluctuations in temperate mountain environments. Moderate temperature increases may even release bumblebees from metabolic stress. However, transcriptome responses to even moderate management regimes highlight the completely underestimated complexity of human influence on natural pollinators.…
Author: | Kristof Brenzinger, Fabienne Maihoff, Marcell K. Peters, Leonie Schimmer, Thorsten Bischler, Alice Classen |
---|---|
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-301276 |
Document Type: | Journal article |
Faculties: | Fakultät für Biologie / Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften |
Language: | English |
Parent Title (English): | iScience |
Year of Completion: | 2022 |
Volume: | 25 |
Issue: | 10 |
Article Number: | 105175 |
Source: | iScience 25(10):105175. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105175 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2022.105175 |
Dewey Decimal Classification: | 5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie |
Tag: | bumblebees; climate changes; stress; transcriptomic response |
Release Date: | 2023/02/24 |
Collections: | Open-Access-Publikationsfonds / Förderzeitraum 2022 |
Licence (German): | CC BY: Creative-Commons-Lizenz: Namensnennung 4.0 International |