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 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.