Phylogeography and ecology of bumble bees on Kolguev Island, a remote European Arctic landmass

By

Potapov, Grigory
Kolosova, Yulia S
Kondakov, Alexander V
Tomilova, Alena A.
Filippov, Boris Yu.
Zubrii, Natalia A.
Spitsyn, Vitaliy
Spitsyna, Elizaveta
Vlasova, Alisa
Gofarov, Mikhail Yu.
Bovykina, Galina
Bolotov, Ivan N.

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2022

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1122

Pages

19--37

Subjects

Bumble bees , High Arctic , island biogeography Pleistocene glaciations , mitochondrial DNA

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1122.82993

 

Abstract

The bumble bee fauna of the Russian Arctic is rather poorly known. Kolguev Island, a remote insular territory in the Barents Sea, is one of the deficiently studied areas. In this study, material on Kolguev’s bumble bees is re-examined, phylogeographic data analysed, putative scenarios explaining the origin of the bumble bee fauna on the island discussed, and the biology and phenology of these insular populations described. Five bumble bee species, i.e., Bombus flavidus, B. lapponicus, B. jonellus, B. pyrrhopygus, and B. balteatus, were recorded on this island. All of these species are widespread throughout the Eurasian Arctic. Bumble bee populations on Kolguev Island are characterised by a low level of molecular divergence from mainland populations. Based on paleogeographic reconstructions and phylogeographic patterns, it is hypothesised that the bumble bees appeared on this island in the Early Holocene. The lack of rodents (lemmings and voles) sharply decreases the number of available nesting places for bumble bees on Kolguev Island.