Jonathan Koch

Research Entomologist

Phone: (435) 797-7151

Fax: (435) 797-0461

Office Location: BNR173

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
NATURAL RES BIOLOGY BLDG
LOGAN, UT 843225310

 

Research Program

Bumble bees are significant pollinators of agricultural crops, including greenhouse tomatoes, a crop worth $690 million annually to the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Despite their importance to agriculture, disturbing reports of bumble bee population collapse have been observed in the United States, fueling environmental and economic fears of population decline. To address these significant concerns Dr. Koch leads a research program at the USDA-ARS-PWA-Pollinating Insect Research Unit that aims to deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions that promote bumble bee sustainability and availability to farmers, producers, and industry. To meet this vision, his group conducts research that 1) investigates the extent and causes of bee population decline, 2) improves the management of wild and commercial bumble bee species, 3) understands bee biology as related to management goals, and 4) evaluates the genetics of bee species of commercial and ecological interest with the goal of conserving genetic diversity.

Research Status

Dr. Jonathan Berenguer Uhuad Koch is a Research Entomologist who brings more than 15 years of research experience in entomology, population genetics, and biodiversity conservation to the USDA-ARS. Dr. Koch has authored a diversity of peer-reviewed journal articles, a field guide to the bumble bees of the western USA (144 pages), led the digitization effort of one database product, USBombus, and co-developed a historic bumble bee specimen database product. Dr. Koch has participated in systematic nationwide surveys of bumble bee pollinators, culminating in the collection of 11,447 specimens across 304 locations in the western United States, including Alaska. Dr. Koch has identified 40,882 bumble bee specimens to species which are digitized into the U.S. National Pollinating Insect Collection. Currently, Dr. Koch is co-leading efforts to sequence the genomes of multiple species of bumble bees and yellow-faced bees, including two species protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act: the rusty patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis, and the Anthricinan yellow-faced bee, Hylaeus anthracinus. The results of the different sequencing projects will provide scientific resources to make effective management decisions in both agricultural and non-agricultural systems. Dr. Koch received his B.A. (Geography) and B.S. (Environmental Science) from the University of Hawaii, Hilo and his M.S. (Biology) and Ph.D. (Ecology) from Utah State University. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Koch successfully obtained three postdoctoral fellowships from the National Science Foundation, David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellowship Program, and the USDA-ARS. At the USDA-ARS, Dr. Koch’s research has been funded by USDA-NIFA, NSF, Project Apis M, Alfalfa Pollinator Research Initiative, and the USFWS.

 

Projects

Sustainable Crop Production and Wildland Preservation through the Management, Systematics, and Conservation of a Diversity of Bees   In-House Appropriated (D)   Accession Number: 437810

How Many Routes to the Same Phenotype? Genetic Changes Underlying Parallel Acquisition of Mimetic Color Patterns Across Bumble Bees   Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement (R)   Accession Number: 440886

A Holistic Approach to Determining the Impact of an Established Exotic Pollinator, Bombus impatiens, on Bumble Bee Health in the Pacific Northwest   Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement (R)   Accession Number: 441774

Informing Effective Alkali Bee (Nomia melanderi) Management Decisions with Novel Microsatellite Markers and Population Genetic Analysis   Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement (S)   Accession Number: 442256

​

Publications (Clicking on the reprint icon  will take you to the publication reprint.)

Novel microsatellite markers for Osmia lignaria (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a North American pollinator of agricultural crops and wildland plants - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Captive rearing success and critical thermal maxima of Bombus griseocollis (Hymenoptera: Apidae): A candidate for commercialization?  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Christman, M.E., Spears, L.R., Koch, J., Lindsay, T.T., Strange, J.P., Barnes, C.L., Ramirez, R.A. 2022. Captive rearing success and critical thermal maxima of Bombus griseocollis (Hymenoptera: Apidae): A candidate for commercialization?. Journal of Insect Science. 22(6):2;1-8. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieac064.

Pollen column, and a wax canopy, in a first nest description of Bombus (Cullumanobombus) morrisoni (Apidae)  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Koch, J., Cane, J.H. 2022. Pollen column, and a wax canopy, in a first nest description of Bombus (Cullumanobombus) morrisoni (Apidae). Apidologie. 53. Article 31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00943-4.

Pursuing best practices for minimizing wild bee captures to support biological research  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Montero-Castano, A., Koch, J., Lindsay, T.T., Love, B.G., Mola, J.M., Newman, K., Sharkey, J. 2022. Pursuing best practices for minimizing wild bee captures to support biological research. Conservation Science and Practice. 4(7). https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12734.

The interception of Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863 found in imported produce purchased in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Koch, J., King, C.B., Lindsay, T.T., Matsunaga, J.N., Mossman, B. 2022. The interception of Bombus impatiens Cresson, 1863 found in imported produce purchased in Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i. Hawaiian Entomological Society Proceedings. 54:37-40.

A review of bee captures in pest monitoring traps and future directions for research and collaboration  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Spears, L.R., Christman, M.E., Koch, J., Looney, C., Ramirez, R.A. 2021. A review of bee captures in pest monitoring traps and future directions for research and collaboration. Journal of Integrated Pest Management. 12(1):1-12. Article 49. https://doi.org/10.1093/jipm/pmab041.

The roles of phenotypic plasticity and adaptation in morphology and performance of an invasive species in a novel environment  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Jardeleza, M.G., Koch, J., Pearse, I., Ghalambor, C., Hufbauer, R.A. 2021. The roles of phenotypic plasticity and adaptation in morphology and performance of an invasive species in a novel environment. Ecological Entomology. 47(1):25-37. https://doi.org/10.1111/een.13087.

The invasion of Megachile policaris (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) to Hawai‘i  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Koch, J., Tabor, J.A., Montoya-Aiona, K., Eiben, J. 2021. The invasion of Megachile policaris (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) to Hawai‘i. Journal of Insect Science. 21(5):1-9. Article 4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieab065.

Genetic and usurpation data support high incidence of bumble bee nest invasion by socially parasitic bumble bee, Bombus insularis  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Koch, J., McCabe, L.M., Love, B.G., Cox-Foster, D.L. 2021. Genetic and usurpation data support high incidence of bumble bee nest invasion by socially parasitic bumble bee, Bombus insularis. Journal of Insect Science. 21(5):1-7. Article 3. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/ieab063.

A brief assessment of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) abundance in forest and non-forested habitats across an altitude gradient on Mauna Loa, Hawai‘i  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Curbelo, K., Price, D., Koch, J. 2021. A brief assessment of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) abundance in forest and non-forested habitats across an altitude gradient on Mauna Loa, Hawai‘i. Pacific Science. 75(4):513-524. https://doi.org/10.2984/75.4.4.

Neonicotinoid pesticides cause mass fatalities of native bumble bees: A case study from Wilsonville, Oregon, USA  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Hatfield, R., Strange, J.P., Koch, J., Jepsen, S., Stapleton, I. 2021. Neonicotinoid pesticides cause mass fatalities of native bumble bees: A case study from Wilsonville, Oregon, USA. Environmental Entomology. https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvab059.

Ensemble models predict invasive bee habitat suitability will expand under future climate scenarios in Hawai‘i  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Tabor, J.A., Koch, J. 2021. Ensemble models predict invasive bee habitat suitability will expand under future climate scenarios in Hawai‘i. Insects. 12(5). Article 443. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects12050443.

Reduction in the potential distribution of bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus) in Mesoamerica under different climate change scenarios: Conservation implications  - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Martinez-Lopez, O., Koch, J., Martinez-Morales, M., Navarrete-Gutierrez, D., Enriquez, E., Vandame, R. 2021. Reduction in the potential distribution of bumble bees (Apidae: Bombus) in Mesoamerica under different climate change scenarios: Conservation implications. Global Change Biology. 27(9):1772-1787. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15559.

USBombus, a database of contemporary survey data for North American Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) distributed in the United States - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Koch, J., Lozier, J., Strange, J.P., Ikerd, H.W., Griswold, T.L., Cordes, N., Solter, L., Stewart, I., Cameron, S.A. 2015. USBombus, a database of contemporary survey data for North American Bumble Bees (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Bombus) distributed in the United States. Biodiversity Data Journal. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.3.e6833.

A scientific note on Bombus (Psithyrus) insularis invasions of bumble bee nests and honey bee hives in the western United States - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Landscape heterogeneity predicts gene flow in a widespread polymorphic bumble bee, Bombus bifarius (Hymentoptera: Apidae). - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Lozier, J., Strange, J.P., Koch, J. 2013. Landscape heterogeneity predicts gene flow in a widespread polymorphic bumble bee, Bombus bifarius (Hymentoptera: Apidae). Conservation Genetics. 14: 1-12.

Bumble bees of the western United States - (Book / Chapter)

Koch, J., Strange, J.P., Williams, P. 2012. Bumble bees of the western United States. USDA Forest Service Research Notes. Publication No. FS-972.

Global invasion by Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): Assessing potential distribution in North America and beyond - (Peer Reviewed Journal)

Strange, J.P., Koch, J., Gonzalez, V.H., Nemelka, L., Griswold, T.L. 2011. Global invasion by Anthidium manicatum (Linnaeus) (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae): Assessing potential distribution in North America and beyond. Biological Invasions. 13:2115-2133.