Bumblebees'
decline points to mass extinction – study
Populations
disappearing in areas where temperatures are getting hotter, scientists say
PA Media
Thu 6 Feb
2020 19.00 GMT
Bumblebees
are in drastic decline across Europe and North America owing to hotter and more
frequent extremes in temperatures, scientists say.
A study
suggests the likelihood of a bumblebee population surviving in any given place
has declined by 30% in the course of a single human generation. The researchers
say the rates of decline appear to be “consistent with a mass extinction”.
Peter
Soroye, a PhD student at the University of Ottawa and the study’s lead author,
said: “We found that populations were disappearing in areas where the
temperatures had gotten hotter. If declines continue at this pace, many of
these species could vanish forever within a few decades.”
The team
used data collected over a 115-year period on 66 bumblebee species across North
America and Europe to develop a model simulating “climate chaos” scenarios.
They were able to see how bumblebee populations had changed over the years by
comparing where the insects were now to where they used to be.
Dr Tim
Newbold, of University College London’s Centre for Biodiversity &
Environment Research, said: “We were surprised by how much climate change has
already caused bumblebee declines. Our findings suggest that much larger
declines are likely if climate change accelerates in the coming years, showing
that we need substantial efforts to reduce climate change if we are to preserve
bumblebee diversity.”
Bumblebees
play a key role in pollinating crops such as tomatoes, squash and berries. The
researchers say their methods could be used to predict extinction risk and
identify areas where conservation actions are needed.
Prof Jeremy
Kerr, of the University of Ottawa and the study’s senior author, said: “This
work also holds out hope by implying ways that we might take the sting out of
climate change for these and other organisms by maintaining habitats that offer
shelter, like trees, shrubs or slopes, that could let bumblebees get out of the
heat.
“Ultimately,
we must address climate change itself and every action we take to reduce
emissions will help.”
The
research is published in the journal Science.
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