Skip to main content
Top
Published in: Biodiversity and Conservation 2/2020

31-10-2019 | Original Paper

Historical changes in bumble bee body size and range shift of declining species

Authors: Sabine S. Nooten, Sandra M. Rehan

Published in: Biodiversity and Conservation | Issue 2/2020

Log in

Activate our intelligent search to find suitable subject content or patents.

search-config
loading …

Abstract

Bumble bees are declining worldwide, their vital ecosystem services are diminishing and underlying mechanisms are species specific and multifaceted. This has sparked an increase in long-term assessments of historical collections that provide valuable information about population trends and shifts in distributions. However, museums specimens also contain important ecological information, including rarely measured morphological traits. Trait-based assessments of museums specimens provide additional information on underlying mechanisms of population trends, by tracking changes over time. Here, we used museum specimens of four Bombus species, spanning a timeframe of 125 years to: (i) compare body size of declining and increasing species, (ii) assess intra-specific trends over the last century, and (iii) investigate shifts in geographical distribution over time. We found that declining Bombus species were larger than increasing ones. All four species were smaller in current time than a century ago. Intra-specific size declines were more pronounced for larger-bodied species. With our sampling, declining and increasing species showed an upward shift in elevation, and declining species showed an additional geographic shift in recent times as compared to historic records. Intra-specific body size declines may represent species adaptation to unfavorable environmental conditions, and may be a useful metric to complement traditional species vulnerability assessments. We highlight the utility of incorporating trait-based assessments into future studies investigating species declines.

Dont have a licence yet? Then find out more about our products and how to get one now:

Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 102.000 Bücher
  • über 537 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Finance + Banking
  • Management + Führung
  • Marketing + Vertrieb
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe
  • Versicherung + Risiko

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Springer Professional "Technik"

Online-Abonnement

Mit Springer Professional "Technik" erhalten Sie Zugriff auf:

  • über 67.000 Bücher
  • über 390 Zeitschriften

aus folgenden Fachgebieten:

  • Automobil + Motoren
  • Bauwesen + Immobilien
  • Business IT + Informatik
  • Elektrotechnik + Elektronik
  • Energie + Nachhaltigkeit
  • Maschinenbau + Werkstoffe




 

Jetzt Wissensvorsprung sichern!

Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
go back to reference Cameron SA, Hines HM, Williams PH (2007) A comprehensive phylogeny of the bumble bees (Bombus). Biol J Linn Soc 91:161–188CrossRef Cameron SA, Hines HM, Williams PH (2007) A comprehensive phylogeny of the bumble bees (Bombus). Biol J Linn Soc 91:161–188CrossRef
go back to reference Cane JH (1987) Estimation of bee size using intertegular span (Apoidea). J Kansas Entomol Soc 60:145–147 Cane JH (1987) Estimation of bee size using intertegular span (Apoidea). J Kansas Entomol Soc 60:145–147
go back to reference Foster DR (1992) Land-use history (1730-1990) and vegetation dynamics in central New England, USA. J Ecol 80:753–771CrossRef Foster DR (1992) Land-use history (1730-1990) and vegetation dynamics in central New England, USA. J Ecol 80:753–771CrossRef
go back to reference Gerhardt F, Foster DR (2002) Physiographical and historical effects on forest vegetation in central New England, USA. J Biogeogr 29:1421–1437CrossRef Gerhardt F, Foster DR (2002) Physiographical and historical effects on forest vegetation in central New England, USA. J Biogeogr 29:1421–1437CrossRef
go back to reference Gerloff CU, Ottmer BK, Schmid-Hempel P (2003) Effects of inbreeding on immune response and body size in a social insect, Bombus terrestris. Funct Ecol 17:582–589CrossRef Gerloff CU, Ottmer BK, Schmid-Hempel P (2003) Effects of inbreeding on immune response and body size in a social insect, Bombus terrestris. Funct Ecol 17:582–589CrossRef
go back to reference Goulson D, Peat J, Stout JC, Tucker J, Darvill B, Derwent LC, Hughes WO (2002) Can allothism in workers of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, be explained in terms of foraging efficiency. Anim Behav 64:123–130CrossRef Goulson D, Peat J, Stout JC, Tucker J, Darvill B, Derwent LC, Hughes WO (2002) Can allothism in workers of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, be explained in terms of foraging efficiency. Anim Behav 64:123–130CrossRef
go back to reference Hatfield R, Jepsen S, Richardson L, Colla S (2014) Bombus ternarius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014:e.T44937988A69005644 Hatfield R, Jepsen S, Richardson L, Colla S (2014) Bombus ternarius. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014:e.T44937988A69005644
go back to reference Hatfield R, Jepsen S, Thorp R, Richardson L, Colla S (2015a) Bombus terricola. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015:e.T44937505A46440206 Hatfield R, Jepsen S, Thorp R, Richardson L, Colla S (2015a) Bombus terricola. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015:e.T44937505A46440206
go back to reference Hatfield R, Jepsen S, Thorp R, Richardson L, Colla S (2015b) Bombus vagans, Half-black Bumblebee. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015:e.T44938024A46440316 Hatfield R, Jepsen S, Thorp R, Richardson L, Colla S (2015b) Bombus vagans, Half-black Bumblebee. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015:e.T44938024A46440316
go back to reference Horton R et al (2014) Ch. 16: Northeast. In: Melillo JM, Richmond TC, Yohe GW (eds) Climate change impacts in the United States: the third National Climate Assessment. US Global Change Research Program, Washington Horton R et al (2014) Ch. 16: Northeast. In: Melillo JM, Richmond TC, Yohe GW (eds) Climate change impacts in the United States: the third National Climate Assessment. US Global Change Research Program, Washington
go back to reference Kosior A, Celary W, Olejniczak P, Fijal J, Król W, Solarz W, Plonka P (2007) The decline of the bumble bees and cuckoo bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombini) of Western and Central Europe. Oryx 41:79–88CrossRef Kosior A, Celary W, Olejniczak P, Fijal J, Król W, Solarz W, Plonka P (2007) The decline of the bumble bees and cuckoo bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombini) of Western and Central Europe. Oryx 41:79–88CrossRef
go back to reference Moure JS (1965) Some new species of euglossine bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Kans Entomol Soc 38:266–277 Moure JS (1965) Some new species of euglossine bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Kans Entomol Soc 38:266–277
go back to reference Mueller UG, Wolf-Mueller B (1993) A method for estimating the age of bees: age-dependent wing wear and coloration in the wool-carder bee Anthidium manicatum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). J Insect Behav 6:529–537CrossRef Mueller UG, Wolf-Mueller B (1993) A method for estimating the age of bees: age-dependent wing wear and coloration in the wool-carder bee Anthidium manicatum (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae). J Insect Behav 6:529–537CrossRef
go back to reference R Development CoreTeam (2017) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. ISBN 3–900051–07-0, URL http://www.R-project.org/. R version 3.4.2 R Development CoreTeam (2017) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna. ISBN 3–900051–07-0, URL http://​www.​R-project.​org/​. R version 3.4.2
go back to reference Roulston TH, Cane JH (2002) The effect of pollen protein concentration on body size in the sweat bee Lasioglossum zephyrum (Hymenoptera: Apiformes). Evol Ecol 16:49–65CrossRef Roulston TH, Cane JH (2002) The effect of pollen protein concentration on body size in the sweat bee Lasioglossum zephyrum (Hymenoptera: Apiformes). Evol Ecol 16:49–65CrossRef
go back to reference Rust RW (1991) Size-weight relationships in Osmia lignaria propinqua Cresson (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). J Kans Entomol Soc 64:174–178 Rust RW (1991) Size-weight relationships in Osmia lignaria propinqua Cresson (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae). J Kans Entomol Soc 64:174–178
go back to reference Tepedino VJ, Thompson R, Torchio PF (1984) Heritability for size in the megachilid bee Osmia propinqua Cresson. Apidologie 15:83–88CrossRef Tepedino VJ, Thompson R, Torchio PF (1984) Heritability for size in the megachilid bee Osmia propinqua Cresson. Apidologie 15:83–88CrossRef
go back to reference U.S. Census Bureau (2012) United States Summary: 2010 Census of Population and Housing CPH-2-1. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC U.S. Census Bureau (2012) United States Summary: 2010 Census of Population and Housing CPH-2-1. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC
go back to reference Williams PH (1998) An annotated checklist of bumble bees with an analysis of patterns of description (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Bull Nat Hist Mus (Entomology) 67:79–152 Williams PH (1998) An annotated checklist of bumble bees with an analysis of patterns of description (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Bombini). Bull Nat Hist Mus (Entomology) 67:79–152
go back to reference Williams PH, Thorp RW, Richardson LL, Colla SR (2014) The bumble bees of North America: an identification guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton Williams PH, Thorp RW, Richardson LL, Colla SR (2014) The bumble bees of North America: an identification guide. Princeton University Press, Princeton
go back to reference Wuebbles DJ, Fahey DW, Hibbard KA, DeAngelo B, Doherty S, Hayhoe K, Horton R, Kossin JP, Taylor PC, Waple AM, Weaver CP (2017) In: Wuebbles DJ, Fahey DW, Hibbard KA, Dokken DJ, Stewart BC, Maycock TK (eds) Executive summary of the climate science special report: fourth National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC Wuebbles DJ, Fahey DW, Hibbard KA, DeAngelo B, Doherty S, Hayhoe K, Horton R, Kossin JP, Taylor PC, Waple AM, Weaver CP (2017) In: Wuebbles DJ, Fahey DW, Hibbard KA, Dokken DJ, Stewart BC, Maycock TK (eds) Executive summary of the climate science special report: fourth National Climate Assessment. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC
go back to reference Zuur AF, Ieno EN, Walker NJ, Saveliev AA, Smith GM (2009) Mixed effect models and extensions in R, 1st edn. Springer, New YorkCrossRef Zuur AF, Ieno EN, Walker NJ, Saveliev AA, Smith GM (2009) Mixed effect models and extensions in R, 1st edn. Springer, New YorkCrossRef
Metadata
Title
Historical changes in bumble bee body size and range shift of declining species
Authors
Sabine S. Nooten
Sandra M. Rehan
Publication date
31-10-2019
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Published in
Biodiversity and Conservation / Issue 2/2020
Print ISSN: 0960-3115
Electronic ISSN: 1572-9710
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01893-7

Other articles of this Issue 2/2020

Biodiversity and Conservation 2/2020 Go to the issue