Biology subjects

Sokolov, N. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Sokolov, N. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Pollinator Plant Network Interactions of Bees (Hymenoptera: Anthophila) in an Urban Garden

Amongst ever increasing habitat loss and compounding environmental stressors, urban pollinator gardens can provide refugia and support native bees. However, gardens are rarely assessed for their effectiveness in providing adequate habitat. This study focuses on a recently established local campus pollinator garden in California. Using diversity observations from the early 2000s garden and non-lethal sampling techniques, we characterized visitation frequencies between flowers and urban bees. We generated a bipartite interaction network and found that despite the gardens relatively small size, the network showed greater specialization and modularity, as well as lower nestedness than expected by chance. Across 12 flower species, we observed two non-native pollinators, the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the alfalfa leafcutter (Megachile rotundata), along with at least nine native bee species across three families (Apidae, Halictidae, Megachilidae). Although this garden was designed for native bees, honey bees represented over 80% of visitation events and thus suggests that the garden needs adjustments to provide more forage for native bees. Honey bees occupied the most central and connected position in the network, followed by native sweat bees (Family: Halictidae) which both had generalist patterns. Whereas other bees showed evidence of specialization (Genus: Mellisodes). We found a significant positive relationship between inflorescence count and honey bee abundance but not with native bee abundance. To better steward native bees that possess a range of floral specializations, managers may consider increasing plant species diversity rather than relying on a few but highly abundant flowering plants.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2025

The impacts of almond pollination on honeybee viral dynamics

Seasonal aggregation of hosts can rapidly reshape microbial and viral communities, with consequences for disease dynamics and spillover risk. Each year, millions of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies experience a mass human-mediated intercontinental migration to Californias Central Valley to pollinate most of the worlds almond supply. Clearly, this mass mixing event with hives from across the country has the risk of spreading highly virulent pathogens, including viruses. It is essential to weigh the benefits of the almond bloom against the risks of disease in honeybees, which may also affect native pollinators. We conducted an observational longitudinal RNA-seq study of colonies from a commercial beekeeping operation before, during, and after almond pollination, compared with non-migrating control colonies. We found that viral diversity increased in honeybee colonies during and directly after the bloom; however, it returned to pre-bloom levels a month later. The virome community composition also became more uniform between hives after the bloom. Hives in closer proximity had more similar viromes. This spatial variation suggests that inter-colony drift is a potential transmission route. Together, these findings suggest that the bloom increases viral transmission, with no single virus dominating the communities. Instead, a group of viruses (black queen cell virus, Lake Sinai Virus, deformed wing virus) were responsible for community shifts. Although crop bloom increased viral diversity and community homogenization, this effect was short-lived, with viromes reverting to pre-bloom levels once hives left the orchards. These findings indicate that pollination events can transiently restructure viral communities in managed bees.

microbiology↗

bioRxiv2021

Automated tracking reveals the social network of beach mice and their burrows

Evolutionary biologists have long sought to understand the selective pressures driving phenotypic evolution. While most experimental data come from the study of morphological evolution, we know much less about the ultimate drivers of behavioral variation. Among the most striking examples of behavioral evolution are the long, complex burrows constructed by oldfield mice (Peromyscus polionotus ssp.). Yet how these mice use burrows in the wild, and whether burrow length may affect fitness, remains unknown. A major barrier to studying behavior in the wild has been the lack of technologies to continuously monitor - in this case, nocturnal and underground - behavior. Here, we designed and implemented a novel radio frequency identification (RFID) system to track patterns of burrow use in a natural population of beach mice. We combine RFID monitoring with burrow measurements, genetic data, and social network analysis to uncover how these monogamous mice use burrows under fully natural ecological and social conditions. We first found that long burrows provide a more stable thermal environment and have higher juvenile activity than short burrows, underscoring the likely importance of long burrows for rearing young. We also find that adult mice consistently use multiple burrows throughout their home range and tend to use the same burrows at the same time as their genetic relatives, suggesting that inclusive fitness benefits may accrue for individuals that construct and maintain multiple burrows. Our study highlights how new automated tracking approaches can provide novel insights into animal behavior in the wild.

animal behavior and cognition↗