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13:04
An Introduction to Parasitic Wasps of Drosophila and the Antiparasite Immune Response
Published on: May 7, 2012
A poorly known high-latitude parasitoid wasp community: unexpected diversity and dramatic changes through time
Jose Fernandez-Triana1, M Alex Smith, Caroline Boudreault
1Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity, Institute of Ontario, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Plos One
|September 8, 2011
Summary
Climate change is altering Arctic ecosystems. Parasitoid wasp communities in Churchill, Canada, have significantly shifted over 50-70 years, with historic species declining and new ones appearing, indicating a response to rising temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
- Entomology
- Arctic Ecosystems
Background:
- Climate change profoundly impacts species distributions, with rapid warming in Arctic regions.
- Arthropods, crucial to terrestrial ecosystems, are understudied regarding climate-driven distribution shifts.
- Arctic ecosystems are sensitive indicators of climate change due to amplified temperature increases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the composition of contemporary parasitoid wasp communities with those from 50-70 years ago in Churchill, Manitoba.
- To investigate the impact of climate change on the species distribution and community structure of microgastrine wasps (Hymenoptera; Braconidae; Microgastrinae).
Main Methods:
- Utilized historical and contemporary collections of parasitoid wasps from Churchill, Manitoba.
- Employed morphological identification and DNA barcoding to identify species and assess community composition.
- Compared species composition between two distinct time periods and with other North American collections.
Main Results:
- Identified 79 species of microgastrine wasps, estimating 20% of the local fauna remains undiscovered.
- Observed significant differences in species composition and diversity between historical and contemporary collections.
- Contemporary species show affiliations with southwestern North American collections, while historical species align with eastern collections, correlating with rising temperatures.
Conclusions:
- Arctic parasitoid wasp communities have undergone dramatic species composition changes over the past five decades.
- These shifts are coincident with rising temperatures, suggesting climate change is a primary driver of altered species distributions.
- Parasitoid wasps serve as sensitive indicators of climate change impacts in Arctic ecosystems.
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