Phylogeography and ecological niche modeling of the Mojave poppy bee, a specialist pollinator of conservation concern

Bees are argued to be some of the most important animals on our planet for their ecological role in pollination, yet the bulk of species remain poorly studied. While there are 4,000 species of bee in North America, many are rare and endemic to the southwest. Currently under review to be listed as federally endangered, the Mojave poppy bee, Perdita meconis, is a rare specialist bee endemic to the eastern Mojave Desert who’s decreasing in range and abundance due to habitat loss and the associated decline if it’s rare host plants. It remains unknown whether there are genetically distinct populations and what the biogeographic history is of Perdita meconis. To address this knowledge gap, ultraconserved elements were sequenced from specimens across specimens from the known historical distribution to investigate the phylogenomic patterns. Ecological niche modelling was conducted to better understand the historical biogeography and projected distribution to understand historical and present day suitable habitats. Given the small size, likely low dispersal ability of the species, and loss in habitat, I explore whether there is significant genetic isolation among populations and there is declining suitable habitat for Perdita meconis. Investigating the evolutionary history, phylogeographic patterns and refugia of this species is important to understand the natural history of bees and to better inform future management and conservation decisions.