Past and recent farming degrades aquatic insect genetic diversity

Recent declines in once‐common species are triggering concern that an environmental crisis point has been reached. Yet, the lack of long abundance time series data for most species can make it difficult to attribute these changes to anthropogenic causes, and to separate them from normal cycles. Gene...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Molecular ecology 2023-07, Vol.32 (13), p.3356-3367
Main Authors: Crossley, Michael S., Latimer, Christopher E., Kennedy, Christina M., Snyder, William E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural land
Agriculture
Animals
Anthropocene
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic insects
Biodiversity
Biological Evolution
Climate Change
Cytochrome
Cytochrome-c oxidase
Cytochromes
Ecosystem
Environmental changes
Evolution
Farms
Genetic diversity
Genetic Variation - genetics
global change
insect apocalypse
Insecta - genetics
Insects
Land use
land use intensity
Population decline
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Summary:Recent declines in once‐common species are triggering concern that an environmental crisis point has been reached. Yet, the lack of long abundance time series data for most species can make it difficult to attribute these changes to anthropogenic causes, and to separate them from normal cycles. Genetic diversity, on the other hand, is sensitive to past and recent environmental changes, and reflects a measure of a populations' potential to adapt to future stressors. Here, we consider whether patterns of genetic diversity among aquatic insects can be linked to historical and recent patterns of land use change. We collated mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) variation for >700 aquatic insect species across the United States, where patterns of agricultural expansion and intensification have been documented since the 1800s. We found that genetic diversity was lowest in regions where cropland was historically (pre‐1950) most extensive, suggesting a legacy of past environmental harm. Genetic diversity further declined where cropland has since expanded, even after accounting for climate and sampling effects. Notably though, genetic diversity also appeared to rebound where cropland has diminished. Our study suggests that genetic diversity at the community level can be a powerful tool to infer potential population declines and rebounds over longer time spans than is typically possible with ecological data. For the aquatic insects that we considered, patterns of land use many decades ago appear to have left long‐lasting damage to genetic diversity that could threaten evolutionary responses to rapid global change. see also the Perspective by Lane M. Atmore and Danielle L. Buss
ISSN:0962-1083
1365-294X
DOI:10.1111/mec.16590