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Q&A ViewAttendees 8

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

Student Competition 10-Minute Paper

Grad SysEB: Hymenoptera

A population study of the native ant Tapinoma sessile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Dolichoderinae) in eastern Tennessee using morphology, genomics and climate-elevational data

Monday, November 1, 2021
10:30 AM - 10:42 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 205
In-Person Student Competition
The odorous house ant, Tapinoma sessile (Say), is a well-known nuisance pest yet much is unknown about its population structure, phylogenetic nuances and evolutionary and ecological relationships. We were interested in understanding details of population structure across eastern Tennessee through varied ecological zones, as well as, determining whether adaptive convergence within this population with respect to morphology and abiotic ecological contexts was occurring. We applied numeric morphology-based alpha taxonomy (NUMOBAT), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to address these questions. Clade and genetic-based population data were compared with climate and elevation data. We learned that relatively deep separation of some mtDNA clades along with NUMOBAT results indicate population distributions along both climatic and geographic-elevational lines. A phylogenetic comparative method indicated character trait convergence within sub-populations along with relatively rapid rates of evolution of those traits. Our study has shown that the odorous house ant has experienced morphological and environmental convergences within its east Tennessee population within relatively short time spans. These results may partially explain its previously observed phenotypic plasticity. Further study is needed of the larger North American population to see if our observations in the varied geographic and ecological zones of east Tennessee are consistent across its range.