Bumble Bee Decline to Affect Agricultural Crops
A recent study has reportedly confirmed a massive die-off in four North American bumble bee species, raising concerns about the effects on agricultural crops and native plants. Sydney Cameron, et al., “Patterns of Widespread Decline in North American Bumble Bees,” PNAS, January 3, 2011. Led by University of Illinois Entomology Professor Sydney Cameron, researchers examined eight species, comparing approximately 73,000 historical records with data from “intensive nationwide surveys” involving more than 16,000 specimens. Their findings apparently indicated that “the relative abundances of four species have declined by up to 96% and that their surveyed geographic ranges have contracted by 23–87%, some within the last 20 [years].”
According to a January 3, 2011, University of Illinois press release, the study authors suspect that pathogens, habitat loss and low genetic diversity could all be contributing to the decline. They also noted that bumble bees, which are adapted to colder climates, help pollinate crops such as tomatoes, blueberries and cranberries. “This could be the tip of the iceberg,” Cameron said. “It may be that the role that these four species play in pollinating plants could be taken up by other species of bumble bees. But if additional species begin to fall out due to things we’re not aware of, we could be in trouble.” See Scientific American, January 5, 2011.
