Genomic signatures indicate biodiversity loss in an endemic island ant fauna

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Liu, Cong; Sarnat, Eli; Tan, Jo Ann; Janicki, Julia; Deyrup, John; Ogasawara, Masako; Grau, Miquel L.; Qiu, Lijun; Hita Garcia, Francisco; Fischer, Georg; Caginitoba, Akanisi; Narula, Nitish; Darwell, Clive T.; Kubota, Yasuhiro; Pierce, Naomi E.; Mikheyev, Alexander S.; Economo, Evan P.
• 署名单位: Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University; University of the Ryukyus; Harvard University; Okinawa Institute of Science & Technology Graduate University; Leibniz Institut fur Evolutions und Biodiversitatsforschung; Australian National University; University System of Maryland; University of Maryland College Park
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-10694
• DOI: 10.1126/science.ads3004
• 发表日期: 2025-09-11
• 页码: 1133-1136
• 关键词: invasions; decline; biogeography; terrestrial; arthropods; insects

摘要

Insect populations have declined worldwide, but the extent and drivers of these declines are debated. Most studies rely on field surveys performed in the past century, leaving gaps in our understanding of longer-term trends. Using a community genomics approach, we estimated community assembly over millions of years and more recent demographic trends of ant species in the Fijian archipelago. We found that 79% of endemic species are in decline, starting after the arrival of humans approximately 3000 years ago and accelerating in the past 300 years, whereas recent arrivals are expanding. The primary correlate of population decline among endemic species was found to be sensitivity to habitat disturbance. This study demonstrates the value of contemporary collections for estimating long-term community trends and highlights the vulnerability of endemic island species to anthropogenic change.