Skip to main content
Entomology 2024 Main banner
Bayer Crop Science
Icon Legend
 
Oral Presentation
Oral Presentation
Poster Display
Poster Display
Student Competition
Student Competition
Ticketed Event
Ticketed Event
Back

Student 10-Minute Presentation

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Student

Student Competition

Grad 10-min Competition: SysEB, Biodiversity 1

Can MinION-based DNA barcoding enhance bee survey efforts? An example from Gold Butte National Monument

Monday, November 11, 2024
8:24 AM – 8:36 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 222 C, PCC
Oral Presentation Student Competition
With increasing interest in native bee surveys, researchers face significant challenges in species identification due to high diversity, subtle morphological differences, and sexual dimorphism. Traditional identification methods often require expert taxonomists, limiting large-scale efforts. However, affordable molecular techniques, such as Oxford Nanopore’s MinION sequencing, can enhance survey efficiency by providing quick, cost-effective DNA barcoding to address identification challenges. In this study, we conducted the first comprehensive bee survey of Gold Butte National Monument (GBNM) in Nevada's eastern Mojave Desert, a global pollinator diversity hotspot. Over ten months, we collected approximately 8,000 specimens across 70 locations. Using MinION sequencing, we developed an efficient barcoding protocol tailored for large-scale surveys, successfully barcoding all 340 species identified. Our goals include creating the first species list for GBNM, contributing to reference barcode libraries, and providing a replicable model for future surveys of native bee species.