Using eDNA to Study the Distribution and Diversity of Native Pollinators
Pollinators contribute substantially to the economy of the United States by fertilizing fruit, nut, and vegetable crops, and are also necessary for the seed production required for grassland restoration. Over the past few decades, there has been a significant loss of pollinators and a decline in the ecosystem services they provide.
The abundance and range of several native pollinator species are declining in the U.S., including the Western bumble bee which is under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The Pacific Northwest eDNA Laboratory is developing methods to detect native pollinators using eDNA collected from flowers. Environmental DNA offers a non-invasive way to gather information about the distribution and range of threatened native species.
Read more about our current projects below:
Dakota Skipper Surveillance, Monitoring, and Assessment
The Dakota Skipper is a small butterfly that once lived throughout the grasslands of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada but is now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Extensive historical loss of native prairie habitats combined with climate change, drought, wildfire, and invasive species have contributed to its decline. Federal, state, tribal, and non-government organizations are attempting to document the current range of the Dakota Skipper to better inform conservation planning and decision making. USGS researchers will develop a method for detecting Dakota Skipper DNA from environmental DNA-- or eDNA-- samples collected from flowers. The method will be tested using butterflies housed at the Minnesota Zoo and, in cooperation with BLM, USFWS, and Minnesota Zoo biologists, at field locations where the species has been observed. Surveillance based on detection of eDNA from rare or secretive species is a highly sensitive, non-invasive strategy for monitoring pollinators in the wild and could help managers pinpoint areas to prioritize for conservation.
Read more about collaborative efforts to conserve the Dakota skipper and the prairie grasslands of the northern U.S. on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's website: The Butterfly Effect: A Small Voice with a Big Story
Using Pollinator DNA to Assess Grassland Restoration Success
A collaborative effort between multiple partners and scientists across five USGS Science Centers will develop and test methods for using pollinator environmental DNA—or eDNA-- collected from flowers to assess the success of grassland restoration. We will document the pollinators associated with native and non-native plants across the Midwest and Intermountain West in areas where restoration seeding was applied. The use of non-invasive methods for sampling pollinator DNA will improve understanding of grassland pollinator diversity, while reducing cost and difficulty relative to traditional survey methods. Information gained on plant-pollinator interactions will also help improve seed selection for restoration efforts, one of the most expensive and challenging aspects of successful restoration.
Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystem Conservation in U.S. National Parks
Sagebrush steppe ecosystems across the western U.S. are facing rapid and unprecedented changes as a result of climate change, drought, and fire-driven conversion to invasive annual grasses. We are collaborating with the National Park Service and other agency partners to establish a program of applied conservation science and decision-support. In the first phase of this project, USGS researchers will initiate a study of insect pollinators--bees, butterflies, and moths-- across NPS sagebrush landscapes using environmental DNA. Next, we will use NPS vegetation monitoring data and satellite imagery to simulate fire risks in parks with sagebrush vegetation. Information on pollinator distribution and abundance from the environmental DNA survey, combined with information on fire risk, will be used to summarize vegetation management choices available for NPS decision makers with the goal of conserving sagebrush steppe ecosystems.
Development of eDNA Methods to Inform Conservation for the Mojave Poppy Bee
The small size, rarity, and short duration of seasonal activity have made the Mojave poppy bee difficult to study with traditional field surveys. Environmental DNA collected from the surface of flowers provides a promising, non-invasive tool for documenting the distribution of this species and other pollinator species being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. We are collaborating with the USDA to develop methods for using eDNA to document the distribution of the Mojave poppy bee across its range in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. The team will test different methods for collecting eDNA from flower petals, develop a species-specific test to distinguish Mojave poppy bee DNA from closely related species, and design field surveys to document bee distribution. While this project will initially focus on a single species, the methods developed could be applied to other rare bee species in the future.
Pollinators contribute substantially to the economy of the United States by fertilizing fruit, nut, and vegetable crops, and are also necessary for the seed production required for grassland restoration. Over the past few decades, there has been a significant loss of pollinators and a decline in the ecosystem services they provide.
The abundance and range of several native pollinator species are declining in the U.S., including the Western bumble bee which is under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act. The Pacific Northwest eDNA Laboratory is developing methods to detect native pollinators using eDNA collected from flowers. Environmental DNA offers a non-invasive way to gather information about the distribution and range of threatened native species.
Read more about our current projects below:
Dakota Skipper Surveillance, Monitoring, and Assessment
The Dakota Skipper is a small butterfly that once lived throughout the grasslands of the north-central U.S. and south-central Canada but is now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Extensive historical loss of native prairie habitats combined with climate change, drought, wildfire, and invasive species have contributed to its decline. Federal, state, tribal, and non-government organizations are attempting to document the current range of the Dakota Skipper to better inform conservation planning and decision making. USGS researchers will develop a method for detecting Dakota Skipper DNA from environmental DNA-- or eDNA-- samples collected from flowers. The method will be tested using butterflies housed at the Minnesota Zoo and, in cooperation with BLM, USFWS, and Minnesota Zoo biologists, at field locations where the species has been observed. Surveillance based on detection of eDNA from rare or secretive species is a highly sensitive, non-invasive strategy for monitoring pollinators in the wild and could help managers pinpoint areas to prioritize for conservation.
Read more about collaborative efforts to conserve the Dakota skipper and the prairie grasslands of the northern U.S. on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's website: The Butterfly Effect: A Small Voice with a Big Story
Using Pollinator DNA to Assess Grassland Restoration Success
A collaborative effort between multiple partners and scientists across five USGS Science Centers will develop and test methods for using pollinator environmental DNA—or eDNA-- collected from flowers to assess the success of grassland restoration. We will document the pollinators associated with native and non-native plants across the Midwest and Intermountain West in areas where restoration seeding was applied. The use of non-invasive methods for sampling pollinator DNA will improve understanding of grassland pollinator diversity, while reducing cost and difficulty relative to traditional survey methods. Information gained on plant-pollinator interactions will also help improve seed selection for restoration efforts, one of the most expensive and challenging aspects of successful restoration.
Sagebrush Steppe Ecosystem Conservation in U.S. National Parks
Sagebrush steppe ecosystems across the western U.S. are facing rapid and unprecedented changes as a result of climate change, drought, and fire-driven conversion to invasive annual grasses. We are collaborating with the National Park Service and other agency partners to establish a program of applied conservation science and decision-support. In the first phase of this project, USGS researchers will initiate a study of insect pollinators--bees, butterflies, and moths-- across NPS sagebrush landscapes using environmental DNA. Next, we will use NPS vegetation monitoring data and satellite imagery to simulate fire risks in parks with sagebrush vegetation. Information on pollinator distribution and abundance from the environmental DNA survey, combined with information on fire risk, will be used to summarize vegetation management choices available for NPS decision makers with the goal of conserving sagebrush steppe ecosystems.
Development of eDNA Methods to Inform Conservation for the Mojave Poppy Bee
The small size, rarity, and short duration of seasonal activity have made the Mojave poppy bee difficult to study with traditional field surveys. Environmental DNA collected from the surface of flowers provides a promising, non-invasive tool for documenting the distribution of this species and other pollinator species being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act. We are collaborating with the USDA to develop methods for using eDNA to document the distribution of the Mojave poppy bee across its range in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. The team will test different methods for collecting eDNA from flower petals, develop a species-specific test to distinguish Mojave poppy bee DNA from closely related species, and design field surveys to document bee distribution. While this project will initially focus on a single species, the methods developed could be applied to other rare bee species in the future.