Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada

Abstract Pathogen spillover has been cited as a threat to wild pollinator species, including bumblebees (Bombus spp). Conservation planning to conserve declining pollinators requires prioritization of at‐risk populations where threats might be particularly high. Here we map overlap between areas of...

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Main Authors: Amanda R. Liczner, Sheila R. Colla, Gordon Fitch
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Conservation Science and Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70099
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author Amanda R. Liczner
Sheila R. Colla
Gordon Fitch
author_facet Amanda R. Liczner
Sheila R. Colla
Gordon Fitch
author_sort Amanda R. Liczner
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Pathogen spillover has been cited as a threat to wild pollinator species, including bumblebees (Bombus spp). Conservation planning to conserve declining pollinators requires prioritization of at‐risk populations where threats might be particularly high. Here we map overlap between areas of high conservation priority for protecting bumble bees and regions of pathogen spillover risk from managed bees for Canada, incorporating uncertainty in pathogen spillover potential into our analysis. Across Canada, 9%–17% of all conservation priority areas have some level of pathogen risk and 29%–37% of the area with pathogen risk contains conservation priority areas, but this risk is unevenly distributed. Alberta, British Columbia, and southern Ontario are the regions with the greatest risk for pathogen spillover in conservation priority areas. These results can inform government agencies and conservation practitioners engaged in pollinator conservation to develop more effective evidence‐based programs and policy.
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spelling doaj-art-cb9f2c9f545d40cdafe7f2688cca89d12025-08-20T03:36:53ZengWileyConservation Science and Practice2578-48542025-08-0178n/an/a10.1111/csp2.70099Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in CanadaAmanda R. Liczner0Sheila R. Colla1Gordon Fitch2Okanagan Institute for Biodiversity, Resilience and Ecosystem Services University of British Columbia Kelowna British Columbia CanadaFaculty of Environment and Urban Change York University Toronto Ontario CanadaFaculty of Science, Department of Biology York University Toronto Ontario CanadaAbstract Pathogen spillover has been cited as a threat to wild pollinator species, including bumblebees (Bombus spp). Conservation planning to conserve declining pollinators requires prioritization of at‐risk populations where threats might be particularly high. Here we map overlap between areas of high conservation priority for protecting bumble bees and regions of pathogen spillover risk from managed bees for Canada, incorporating uncertainty in pathogen spillover potential into our analysis. Across Canada, 9%–17% of all conservation priority areas have some level of pathogen risk and 29%–37% of the area with pathogen risk contains conservation priority areas, but this risk is unevenly distributed. Alberta, British Columbia, and southern Ontario are the regions with the greatest risk for pathogen spillover in conservation priority areas. These results can inform government agencies and conservation practitioners engaged in pollinator conservation to develop more effective evidence‐based programs and policy.https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70099agriculturebumble beeconservation priority areaspathogen spillover
spellingShingle Amanda R. Liczner
Sheila R. Colla
Gordon Fitch
Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada
Conservation Science and Practice
agriculture
bumble bee
conservation priority areas
pathogen spillover
title Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada
title_full Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada
title_fullStr Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada
title_full_unstemmed Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada
title_short Assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees (Bombus spp., Apidae) in Canada
title_sort assessing pathogen risk for wild bumblebees bombus spp apidae in canada
topic agriculture
bumble bee
conservation priority areas
pathogen spillover
url https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70099
work_keys_str_mv AT amandarliczner assessingpathogenriskforwildbumblebeesbombussppapidaeincanada
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AT gordonfitch assessingpathogenriskforwildbumblebeesbombussppapidaeincanada