Bonnie Blaimer
Assit Professor
Director of NCSU Insect Museum Entomology and Plant Pathology
Bio
My research interests center around the evolution, systematics and biogeography of insects, in particular ants and members of the order Hymenoptera (ants, wasps and bees). I have conducted field surveys and sampling for insects in various countries, especially in Madagascar and other parts of Africa. A current project, for example, investigates the evolution of ant community structure and biogeography in Madagascar, by testing hypotheses about the distribution of ant diversity and endemism within a phylogenomic framework. Other ongoing work focuses on resolving higher-level systematics, as well as the diversification and the time-scale of evolution of several groups of Hymenoptera with molecular genomic methods.
Expertise:
Animal Genomics and Genetics | Ecology | Entomology
Country(s) of experience:
Germany | Madagascar | Mozambique | Myanmar | South Africa | Uganda
Type(s) of International Experience:
Researcher in an international project | Speaker at an international conference | Other international activities
Research Focus:
My research addresses questions related to the evolution, systematics and diversity of ants, bees and wasps, using genomic and morphological methods
Language(s):
French | German
Publications
- COLONY STRUCTURE AND REDESCRIPTION OF MALES IN THE RARELY COLLECTED ARBOREAL ANT, APHAENOGASTER MARIAE FOREL (HYMENOPTERA: FORMICIDAE) , PROCEEDINGS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON (2023)
- Spatial phylogenomics of acrobat ants in Madagascar-Mountains function as cradles for recent diversity and endemism , JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY (2021)
- A first phylogenomic hypothesis for Eulophidae (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea) , JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY (2020)
- Comprehensive phylogenomic analyses re-write the evolution of parasitism within cynipoid wasps , BMC EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY (2020)
- Combining transcriptomes and ultraconserved elements to illuminate the phylogeny of Apidae , MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION (2019)
- Multiple origins of sexual dichromatism and aposematism within large carpenter bees , EVOLUTION (2018)
- Paleotropical Diversification Dominates the Evolution of the Hyperdiverse Ant Tribe Crematogastrini (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) , INSECT SYSTEMATICS AND DIVERSITY (2018)
Grants
Why is species diversity not evenly distributed over the planet? Some tropical places are called "hotspots" because their local biodiversity greatly exceeds the biodiversity of other regions with similar climates. Madagascar is such a special place, with a tremendous number of species occurring only on this island, distributed within very small geographic areas. Part of the explanation of Madagascar's rich biodiversity is geographic isolation: long isolation from other landmasses has produced unique species across an island with high topographical and ecological diversity. But why do so many of Madagascar's unique species seem to occupy the same ecological role and yet occur side by side? This research will use ant diversity information from Madagascar to understand the processes that drive distribution patterns and organize insect communities. The results will provide insights into how species diversity patterns evolve, enabling us to both decipher the past and allow us to adapt to the future and respond to threats such as deforestation and habitat loss. This scientific study is accompanied by an extensive education plan integrating undergraduate students into a field research and outreach program to raise awareness on forest conservation issues both in Madagascar and the United States, and teach the skills necessary to monitor and conserve forests. To investigate community structure and diversity patterns, as well as potential drivers of community assembly and species endemism, this study will utilize new phylogenomic tools and an unparalleled ecological data set for ants in Madagascar based on field inventories and collections conducted across the region by the researchers over the last 20 years. The objectives are to: (1) Assemble a phylogenomic data set of ultraconserved elements from nearly 1,300 species of Malagasy ants. (2) Combine over 100,000 curated specimen records with climatic niche data to model species distributions for all Malagasy ants at 260 study sites. (3) Analyze and characterize patterns of ant community structure and diversity in Madagascar based on these genetic lineage and community data sets. In particular, the vertical stratification of ant communities in the canopy and leaf litter, as well as diversity along elevational gradients, will be examined. This large-scale community analysis aims to understand factors important in generating and maintaining species distribution patterns and endemism, and will allow us to draw widely applicable conclusions about the role of these patterns in community assembly. Beyond expanding the boundaries of scientific discovery, this research will (4) communicate arthropod, rainforest, and canopy biodiversity by educating public and scientific audiences through internships, workshops, video exhibits, and talks, and create extensive training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.