Population structuring and genetic diversity of bumble bees from the central United States

Some populations of bumble bees are thought to be declining in North America, but since we lack data on their historical distributions, it is difficult to determine their true status. Population genetic methods may be used to address this question by examining Bombus genetic diversity and population structure. Low levels of genetic diversity within a species may indicate species decline, while population structuring within a species may indicate populations that are fragmented from one another. The genetic diversity and population structuring of three Bombus species from Arkansas, Nebraska and Tennessee were analyzed using two methods: DNA sequencing of a mtDNA 16S and a nuclear microsatellite marker. Species were analyzed for genetic variation among both geographically local and distant populations.