Bumblebees and Climate Change

Bumblebees are important global providers of ecological services. This study used more than 360,000 GBIF-mediated occurrence records from Europe and North America to evaluate the impacts of climate change on the future of the bumblebee. The researchers found rapid losses of habitats in southern areas, but without any corresponding northward expansions. They tested whether these changes were associated with either pesticide or land-use changes, but find evidence that neither relate to shifts in bumblebee ranges. The study suggests assisted relocation of bumblebee colonies to new areas to alleviate the range losses caused by climate change.