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ViewAttendees 2

10-Minute Paper

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

PBT: Pollinators

Stress compromises male reproductive fitness in mason bees (Osmia spp.)

Tuesday, November 7, 2023
10:48 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor 3
In-Person
Previous studies have demonstrated that for other species of managed pollinators, such as bumble bees and honey bees, male sperm viability and/or abundance decreases in response to adult exposure to stressors such as pesticide exposure and warmer temperatures. To date, only limited data examines parallel responses of managed solitary bees to similar stress conditions. During spring 2023, we established baseline data for the maturation of sperm over time in the native blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria) and explored the impact of heat stress on sperm viability and abundance in the closely related Osmia cornifrons. Our results reveal 1) male sperm require at least 24hr to mature following adult emergence, 2) there are key differences in male fertility between species and 3) that heat stress can significantly impair sperm abundance. Together these findings have important management and conservation implications that may be generalizable towards other mason bee/solitary bee species.