Genomic Research Shows Fiji’s Indigenous Bees Have Plummeted by About 99% Since Colonisation

A recent genetic study of Fiji’s native bees reveals that the archipelago has lost approximately 99 % of its original pollinator populations since the arrival of European colonists, according to researchers who reported the results on Phys.org.

The investigators extracted DNA from museum specimens gathered in the 19th and early 20th centuries and contrasted those sequences with material collected from the few surviving colonies today. By charting changes in genetic diversity across time, they inferred that the effective population sizes of several endemic bee species have contracted dramatically.

These findings mirror a global trend of pollinator decline driven by habitat conversion, pesticide use and climate stressors. Bees, butterflies and other insects are essential for fertilising wild plants and crops, and their loss jeopardises food security and biodiversity. While many temperate species have been examined, tropical island pollinators have largely remained undocumented until now.

Fiji’s distinctive ecosystems, home to numerous endemic plants, have been especially susceptible to land‑use alterations introduced during colonisation, such as the spread of sugarcane farms and later tourism development. The loss of native vegetation, together with introduced non‑native bees and modern agrochemicals, likely hastened the genetic bottleneck documented in the research.

Conservation experts argue that the study highlights the pressing need to safeguard remaining habitats and adopt pollinator‑friendly measures. Restoring indigenous flowering species, curbing pesticide application, and encouraging community‑driven monitoring could help stabilise the few extant populations.

The team intends to apply their genomic methodology to additional Pacific islands, aiming to chart the hidden consequences of historic colonisation on insect diversity throughout the region. Such insights may guide policy decisions designed to protect pollinators that support ecological resilience and agricultural productivity.