European bumblebee populations are set to decline sharply in the coming decades due to climate change and habitat loss.
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This is evidenced by the results of a study by Belgian scientists who collected data from 400 thousand different observations of 46 species of bumblebees across Europe, assessing the past (1901-1970) and the present (2001-2014), reports Phys.org.
Often seen in gardens, bumblebees play a critical role in pollinating crops and wild plants. However, they are accustomed to the cool temperatures of the Northern Hemisphere, and warming from climate change puts them increasingly at risk.
The study found that in a worst-case scenario, “up to 75% of bumblebee species that are not currently threatened would see their range decline by 30% by 2061-2080.”
This means that most European bumblebees, which are currently classified as “slightly endangered”, could become endangered, the article notes.
Bumblebee species living in arctic or alpine environments may even be on the brink of extinction, with 90% of their range expected to be lost.
There was also bad news for the most common of European bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, a plump bumblebee often seen pollinating flowers in yards, the article noted. — By 2080, its geographic range, bordering the Sahara Desert, will be reduced to the Loire Valley in central France.
According to scientists, the reasons for the expected decline in populations of these insects are the following factors:
- intensive agriculture, which influences the composition of vegetation and relies on synthetic fertilizers that artificially enrich the soil with nitrogen – bumblebees mainly consume plants growing in nitrogen-poor soils;
- recurring droughts, which have become more frequent and severe due to climate change, also kill the plants that bumblebees feed on;
- Heat waves, amplified by global warming, pose an even greater threat. With the exception of a few hardy species, bumblebees are especially sensitive to heat.
Scientists suggest that some bees may seek refuge in the cool climate of Scandinavia. They even spotted a few forward-thinking bumblebees that had already made the journey north.
One day I was collecting bumblebees in northern Norway and suddenly I came across Bombus terrestris among the Arctic species,” said one of the researchers. — He flew 800 kilometers north of his natural range.
Source: Phys.org
Bees infect wild bumblebees with their diseases through common flowers.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.