Data from: Temporal drop of genetic diversity in Bombus pauloensis

Bumblebees are economically important insects which perform essential
pollination tasks in natural and managed ecosystems. Recent research
studying Neotropical bumblebee species in Brazil showed a clear decrease
in genetic diversity over time in Bombus pauloensis. A new temporal
assessment of genetic diversity is needed to know whether this was a
location specific result, or a more general phenomenon. This knowledge is
essential to be able to prioritize conservation and management needs.
Here, the genetic variability of B. pauloensis populations in Argentina
was investigated over time using museum collection specimens from 1933 to
2016, and compared with reanalyzed data from Brazilian populations.
Furthermore, specific time series were made for two Argentinean locations:
Candelaria and La Plata, and compared with the time series of Porto Alegre
(Brazil). All collected specimens were genotyped with 16 microsatellite
loci to estimate genetic diversity parameters. Our results showed no drop
in either allelic richness or expected heterozygosity over all Argentinean
populations. However, a clear drop in genetic diversity was observed in
two out of three location specific time series. This loss of diversity
will have negative impacts on population survival, especially over longer
periods of time. Furthermore, the use and release of mass-reared specimens
of B. pauloensis, which may be inbred and specifically selected for
certain commercial but non-adaptive traits, could further diminish the
genetic pool. Thus, our result implies the urgent need for regional
conservation policies of B. pauloensis in South Brazil and North
Argentina.