OOS 66

Conservation Genetics of Bee Pollinators

This session will showcase the latest advances that molecular biologists have made in the ecology, evolution, and conservation genetics of native bees. While new technologies like NGS and fine-scale GIS, coupled with advances in computer hardware and software, have dramatically improved our understanding of pollinator population genetics, current methods and models of understanding gene-flow and dispersal vary widely and could benefit dramatically from a synthesis and a forum for discussing future challenges and priorities. The proposed symposium would include research that spans the growing field of pollinator conservation genetics, drawing inspiration from a wide range of disciplines, including pollination ecology, landscape ecology, population genetics, and genomics. The overarching goal of the symposium will be to highlight research at the interface between population genetics and pollinator ecology in order to improve understanding of bee population dynamics and evolution, and to inform conservation and management practices. Specifically, we have chosen to focus on the conservation of native bees because they are the most important and effective pollinators and have gained massive public interest in the past decade. The study of native bees is important not only in natural areas, but also in urbanizing and agricultural regions, where multiple stakeholders are invested in enhancing native bee-mediated pollination services. By incorporating molecular research into pollination and landscape ecology, the research highlighted in this symposium takes a critical step in advancing pollinator and pollination-service conservation. As global population and food demands continue to increase, causing even more habitat loss and fragmentation, it will be essential to conserve and restore pollinator populations in natural, agricultural, and urban areas, not only for the purpose of conserving biodiversity, but also for ensuring food security and food diversity. This symposium will reveal insights into the role of evolutionary histories and ecological traits in the challenges confronting native bee pollinators and their critical role in our ecosystem.