Population Genetics of Cuckoo Bees as Illustrated by the Genus Nomada: Development of Host and Cuckoo Bee Markers for Semi-Genomic Analyses

• Thesis title in Czech: Populační genetika kukaččích včel na příkladu rodu Nomada: Vývoj markerů pro semi-genomické analýzy hostitelských a kukaččích včel
• Thesis title in English: Population Genetics of Cuckoo Bees as Illustrated by the Genus Nomada: Development of Host and Cuckoo Bee Markers for Semi-Genomic Analyses
• Key words: Nomada, Andrena, mikrosatelity, vývoj markerů, SSR-GBS, populační genetika, hnízdní paraziti
• English key words: Nomada, Andrena, microsatellites, marker development, SSR-GBS, population genetics, brood parasites
• Academic year of topic announcement: 2022/2023
• Thesis type: diploma thesis
• Thesis language: angličtina
• Department: Department of Zoology (31-170)
• Supervisor: Mgr. Jakub Straka, Ph.D.
• Author: hidden - assigned and confirmed by the Study Dept.
• Date of registration: 24.10.2022
• Date of assignment: 24.10.2022
• Confirmed by Study dept. on: 13.02.2023
• Date of electronic submission: 08.08.2024
• Date of proceeded defence: 16.09.2024
• Opponents: Mgr. Petra Šarhanová, Ph.D.

Preliminary scope of work

Nomády (Nomada, Apidae: Nomadinae) jsou druhově nejbohatší skupinou tzv. kukaččích včel, ekologické skupiny zahrnující různé kleptoparazitické linie. Navzdory tomu, že kukaččí včely tvoří nezanedbatelnou část diverzity včel, nebyla jejich populační genetika dosud studována (s výjimkou studie Packer et al., 1995). Tato diplomová práce si klade za cíl vyplnit tuto mezeru v poznání mikrosatelitovou analýzou populační genetiky nomád a porovnat populační strukturu těchto kleptoparazitů s jejich hostitelskými pískorypkami (Andrena). Následná zjištění budou diskutována zejména z hlediska možného využití parazitů coby indikátorů zdraví ekosystému a v kontextu srovnání s obratlovčími kleptoparazity.
Packer, L., Dzinas, A., Strickler, K., & Scott, V. (1995). Genetic differentiation between two host “races” and two species of cleptoparasitic bees and between their two hosts. Biochemical Genetics, 33(3), 97–109.

Preliminary scope of work in English

Nomada (Apidae: Nomadinae) is the most specious genus of the so-called cuckoo bees, an ecological assemblage of various kleptoparasitic bee lineages. Despite the fact that cuckoo bees comprise a significant portion of bee diversity, their population genetics remain unexplored (with the exception of Packer et al., 1995). This thesis aims to begin to fill in this gap by microsatellite analyses of the genus Nomada and by comparing the discovered population genetic structure with that of the hosts: mining bees of the genus Andrena. The results will be then discussed in light of potential applications of parasites serving as indicators of ecosystem health and compared with population genetic structuring known from vertebrate kleptoparasites.

Packer, L., Dzinas, A., Strickler, K., & Scott, V. (1995). Genetic differentiation between two host “races” and two species of cleptoparasitic bees and between their two hosts. Biochemical Genetics, 33(3), 97–109.