Determining the origin of invasions and demonstrating a lack of enemy release from microsporidian pathogens in common wasps (Vespula vulgaris). Issue 8 (12th June 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lester, P. J.; Gruber, M. A. M.; Brenton‐Rule, E. C.; Archer, M.; Corley, J. C.; Dvořák, L.; Masciocchi, M.; Van Oystaeyen, A.; Roura‐Pascual, Núria
• Is Part Of: Diversity & distributions. Volume 20:Issue 8(2014:Aug.)
• Page Start: 964
• Page End: 974
• Publication Date: 2014-06-12
• Subjects: Biodiversity -- Periodicals; Biodiversity conservation -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12223
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1366-9516

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ddi12223-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="ddi12223-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>Understanding the role of enemy release in biological invasions requires an assessment of the invader's home range, the number of invasion events and enemy prevalence. The common wasp (<italic>Vespula vulgaris</italic>) is a widespread invader. We sought to determine the Eurasian origin of this wasp and examined world‐wide populations for microsporidian pathogen infections to investigate enemy release.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12223-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Location</title> <p>Argentina, Eurasia, New Zealand.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12223-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>A haplotype network and phylogenetic tree were constructed from combined wasp <italic>COI</italic> and <italic>cytb</italic> mitochondrial markers. A morphometric study using canonical discriminant analysis was conducted on wing venation patterns. Microsporidian pathogens prevalence was also examined using small subunit rRNA microsporidia‐specific primers.</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12223-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Our spatially structured haplotype network from the native range suggested a longitudinal cline of wasp haplotypes along an east to west gradient. Six haplotypes were detected from New Zealand, and two from Argentina. The populations from the introduced range were genetically similar to the western European, United Kingdom and Ireland. The morphometric analysis showed significant morphological variation between countries and supported the Western European origin for New Zealand populations, although not for Argentine samples. Microsporidian infection rates were highest in New Zealand samples (54%), but no significant differences in infection rates were observed between the invaded and native range. <italic>Nosema</italic> species included matches to <italic>N. apis</italic> (a pathogen from honey bees) and <italic>N. bombi</italic> (from bumble bees).</p> </sec> <sec id="ddi12223-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Main conclusions</title> <p>Multiple introductions of the common wasp have occurred in the invaded range. A high microsporidian infection rate within the native range, combined with multiple introductions and a reservoir of pathogens in other social insects such as bees, likely contributes to the high microsporidian infection rates in the invaded range. Enemy release is likely to be more frequent when pathogens are rare in the home range, or are host specific and rare in reservoir populations of the introduced range.</p> </sec> </abstract>