Genetic diversity of bumble bees from central United States

Some populations of native bumble bees are thought to be declining in North America, but without extensive records of historical distributions it is difficult to determine their true status. One means of addressing this question is by examining the genetic diversity and population structure of Bombus species to discern intraspecific patterns. Low levels of genetic diversity within a species might indicate species decline, while population structuring within a species may indicate populations that are fragmented from one another. A preliminary study on the genetic diversity and population structuring of four species of bumble bees (Bombus bimaculatus, B. griseocollis, B. impatiens and B. pensylvanicus) recently collected in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Tennessee was conducted using DNA sequences of a portion of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene and four microsatellite markers. This data should provide insight on the status of Bombus populations in these areas.