Mayr Antonia V, Keller Alexander, Peters Marcell K, Grimmer Gudrun, Krischke Beate, Geyer Mareen, Schmitt Thomas, Steffan-Dewenter Ingolf
Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology Biocenter University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany.
Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology Campus Nord University of Würzburg Würzburg Germany.
Ecol Evol. 2021 May 17;11(12):7700-7712. doi: 10.1002/ece3.7605. eCollection 2021 Jun.
Changes of abiotic and biotic conditions along elevational gradients represent serious challenges to organisms which may promote the turnover of species, traits and biotic interaction partners. Here, we used molecular methods to study cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles, biotic interactions and phylogenetic relationships of halictid bees of the genus along a 2,900 m elevational gradient at Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. We detected a strong species turnover of morphologically indistinguishable taxa with phylogenetically clustered cryptic species at high elevations, changes in CHC profiles, pollen resource diversity, and a turnover in the gut and body surface microbiome of bees. At high elevations, increased proportions of saturated compounds in CHC profiles indicate physiological adaptations to prevent desiccation. More specialized diets with higher proportions of low-quality Asteraceae pollen imply constraints in the availability of food resources. Interactive effects of climatic conditions on gut and surface microbiomes, CHC profiles, and pollen diet suggest complex feedbacks among abiotic conditions, ecological interactions, physiological adaptations, and phylogenetic constraints as drivers of halictid bee communities at Mt. Kilimanjaro.
沿着海拔梯度的非生物和生物条件变化对生物构成了严峻挑战，这可能会促进物种、性状和生物相互作用伙伴的更替。在这里，我们使用分子方法研究了坦桑尼亚乞力马扎罗山海拔2900米梯度上的隧蜂属切叶蜂的表皮碳氢化合物（CHC）谱、生物相互作用和系统发育关系。我们检测到形态上难以区分的类群有强烈的物种更替，高海拔处有系统发育聚类的隐性物种，CHC谱、花粉资源多样性发生变化，蜜蜂肠道和体表微生物群也出现更替。在高海拔地区，CHC谱中饱和化合物比例增加表明存在防止干燥的生理适应。以低质量菊科花粉比例更高的更特殊饮食意味着食物资源可用性受到限制。气候条件对肠道和体表微生物群、CHC谱和花粉饮食的交互作用表明，非生物条件、生态相互作用、生理适应和系统发育限制之间存在复杂的反馈，这些是乞力马扎罗山隧蜂群落的驱动因素。
