TY - JOUR

T1 - Temporal change in floral availability leads to periods of resource limitation and affects diet specificity in a generalist pollinator

AU - Lowe, Abigail

AU - Jones, Laura

AU - Brennan, Georgina

AU - Creer, Simon

AU - Christie, Lynda

AU - de Vere, Natasha

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Generalist species are core components of ecological networks and crucial for the maintenance of biodiversity. Generalist species and networks are expected to be more resilient, and therefore understanding the dynamics of specialization and generalization in ecological networks is a key focus in a time of rapid global change. Whilst diet generalization is frequently studied, our understanding of how it changes over time is limited. Here we explore temporal variation in diet specificity in the honeybee (Apis mellifera), using pollen DNA metabarcoding of honey samples, through the foraging season, over two years. We find that, overall, honeybees are generalists that visit a wide range of plants, but there is temporal variation in the degree of specialization. Temporal specialization of honeybee colonies corresponds to periods of resource limitation, identified as a lack of honey stores. Honeybees experience a lack of preferred resources in June when switching from flowering trees in spring to shrubs and herbs in summer. Investigating temporal patterns in specialization can identify periods of resource limitation that may lead to species and network vulnerability. Diet specificity must therefore be explored at different temporal scales in order to fully understand species and network stability in the face of ecological change.

AB - Generalist species are core components of ecological networks and crucial for the maintenance of biodiversity. Generalist species and networks are expected to be more resilient, and therefore understanding the dynamics of specialization and generalization in ecological networks is a key focus in a time of rapid global change. Whilst diet generalization is frequently studied, our understanding of how it changes over time is limited. Here we explore temporal variation in diet specificity in the honeybee (Apis mellifera), using pollen DNA metabarcoding of honey samples, through the foraging season, over two years. We find that, overall, honeybees are generalists that visit a wide range of plants, but there is temporal variation in the degree of specialization. Temporal specialization of honeybee colonies corresponds to periods of resource limitation, identified as a lack of honey stores. Honeybees experience a lack of preferred resources in June when switching from flowering trees in spring to shrubs and herbs in summer. Investigating temporal patterns in specialization can identify periods of resource limitation that may lead to species and network vulnerability. Diet specificity must therefore be explored at different temporal scales in order to fully understand species and network stability in the face of ecological change.

KW - Apis mellifera

KW - eDNA

KW - global change

KW - optimal foraging theory

KW - plant-pollinator interactions

KW - pollen DNA metabarcoding

KW - INDIVIDUAL SPECIALIZATION

KW - ECOLOGICAL NETWORKS

KW - R PACKAGE

KW - DIVERSITY

U2 - 10.1111/mec.16719

DO - 10.1111/mec.16719

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36200580

VL - 32

SP - 6363

EP - 6376

JO - Molecular Ecology

JF - Molecular Ecology

SN - 0962-1083

IS - 23

ER -