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Gambel J, Holway DA. Temperature and soil moisture manipulation yields evidence of drought-induced pollen limitation in bee-pollinated squash. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11400. [PMID: 38832140 PMCID: PMC11144714 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change alters environmental conditions in ways that directly and indirectly affect plants. Flowering plants, for example, modify reproductive allocation in response to heat and drought stress, and such changes can in turn affect pollinator visitation and, ultimately, plant reproduction. Although the individual effects of warming and drought on plant reproductive allocation are well known, these factors may interact to influence reproduction. Here, we conducted a fully crossed temperature by irrigation manipulation in squash (Cucurbita pepo) to test how temperature and soil moisture variation affect pollinator-mediated reproduction. To tease apart the direct and indirect effects of temperature and soil moisture, we compared hand-pollinated plants to bee-pollinated plants and restricted bee foraging (i.e., pollen transfer) to one experimental group per day. Temperature and soil-moisture limitation acted independently of one another: warming decreased flower size and increased pollen production, whereas the effects of soil-moisture limitation were uniformly inhibitory. While treatments did not change squash bee (Xenoglossa spp.) behavior, floral visitation by the honey bee (Apis mellifera) increased with temperature in male flowers and decreased with soil moisture in female flowers. Pollen deposition by bees was independent of plant soil moisture, yet reducing soil moisture increased pollen limitation. This result stemmed at least in part from the effects of soil-moisture limitation on pollen viability; seed set declined with increasing deposition of fluorescent pigment (a proxy for pollen) from plants experiencing decreased soil moisture. These findings suggest that the transfer of lower-quality pollen from plants experiencing soil-moisture limitation led to drought-induced pollen limitation. Similar effects may occur in a wide variety of flowering plant species as climate warming and drought increasingly impact animal-pollinated systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jess Gambel
- Division of Biological SciencesUniversity of California at San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
- Present address:
USDA‐Agricultural Research Service Research Participation ProgramOak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Dairy Forage Research CenterMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - David A. Holway
- Division of Biological SciencesUniversity of California at San DiegoLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
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Wallon S, Tsafack N, Pozsgai G, Melo C, Borges PAV, Elias R. Effects of a short-term temperature increase on arthropod communities associated with pastures. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e107385. [PMID: 37840604 PMCID: PMC10570815 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e107385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of climate change on islands is expected to cause dramatic consequences on native biodiversity. However, limited data are available for arthropod communities in island agroecosystems. In this study, we simulate a small-scale climatic change (average of +1.2°C), using Open Top Chambers (OTCs) in forage crops in the Azores Archipelago (Portugal) and test the responses of arthropod communities associated with intensively-managed pastures. At three sites, twenty 1 x 1 m plots were established: 10 treatment plots with OTCs and 10 control plots. Arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps on two sampling events (winter and summer of 2020). When considering all species collected, arthropods' abundance was lower in OTCs. Specific taxa, namely spiders and beetles, showed a fast response to the OTCs' presence. The assemblage of non-indigenous spiders well adapted to pastures showed a significant difference in diversity with a slightly greater richness, but lower abundance inside the warmer plots. However, the presence of OTCs resulted in a decrease in beetle richness and abundance. This decline may be attributed to the multiple effects of warming. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct further investigations to elucidate the ecological processes that underlie the observed patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Wallon
- cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalcE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Noelline Tsafack
- cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalcE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- Regional Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change, Project LIFE BEETLES (LIFE 18NAT/PT/000864), Rua do Galo n118, 9700-040, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalRegional Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change, Project LIFE BEETLES (LIFE 18NAT/PT/000864), Rua do Galo n118, 9700-040Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Gabor Pozsgai
- cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalcE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Catarina Melo
- cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalcE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- CFE – Centre for Functional Ecology, 3001-401 Coimbra, PortugalCFE – Centre for Functional Ecology3001-401 CoimbraPortugal
| | - Paulo A. V. Borges
- cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalcE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- IUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist Group, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalIUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist GroupAngra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Rui Elias
- cE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalcE3c- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
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3
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Nakamura S, Taki H, Arai T, Funayama K, Furihata S, Furui Y, Ikeda T, Inoue H, Kagawa K, Kishimoto H, Kohyama M, Komatsu M, Konuma A, Nakada K, Nakamura S, Sawamura N, Sonoda S, Sueyoshi M, Toda S, Yaginuma K, Yamamoto S, Yoshida K, Yokoi T, Toyama M. Diversity and composition of flower-visiting insects and related factors in three fruit tree species. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e100955. [PMID: 37720662 PMCID: PMC10504601 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e100955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal-mediated pollination is an essential ecosystem service for the production of many fruit trees. To reveal the community composition of flower-visiting wild insects which potentially contribute to fruit production and to examine the effects of geographic location, local meteorological conditions and locally introduced domesticated pollinators on them, we investigated the community composition of insects visiting the flowers (hereafter, "visitors") of apple, Japanese pear and Oriental persimmon for 1‒3 years at 20 sites around Japan. While most of the variation (82%) of the community composition was explained by tree species with a slight contribution by geographic distance (2%), maximum temperature and tree species contributed 62% and 41% of the variation in total abundance of the visitors, respectively. Though the dominant families of the visitors varied spatiotemporally, the community composition of the visitors of apple and Japanese pear clearly differed from that of Oriental persimmon. While Andrenidae and Syrphidae together accounted for 46%‒64% of the visitors of apple and Japanese pear, Apidae represented 57% of the visitors of Oriental persimmon. The taxonomic richness, diversity and evenness of the visitors were best predicted by locally introduced domesticated pollinators and local meteorological conditions of wind speed and maximum temperature. Amongst these selected factors, locally introduced domesticated pollinators could have the largest impact. It seemed to be strongly related to the reduction of taxonomic richness, diversity and evenness of the visitors, accounting for 41‒89% of the variation. Results suggested that the community composition and total abundance of potential pollinators were predominantly determined by tree species and temperature, but locally introduced domesticated pollinators could have a determinantal pressure on the taxonomic diversity of the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoko Nakamura
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Hachioji, JapanForestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management OrganizationHachiojiJapan
| | - Hisatomo Taki
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Tsukuba, JapanForestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management OrganizationTsukubaJapan
| | - Tomonori Arai
- Institute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, JapanInstitute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationTsukubaJapan
| | - Ken Funayama
- Akita Fruit Tree Experiment Station, Yokote, JapanAkita Fruit Tree Experiment StationYokoteJapan
| | - Shunsuke Furihata
- Institute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, JapanInstitute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationTsukubaJapan
| | - Yuki Furui
- Tottori Prefecture Horticultural Research Center, Hokueicho, JapanTottori Prefecture Horticultural Research CenterHokueichoJapan
| | - Takamasa Ikeda
- Tohaku Agricultural Extension Center, Tottori Prefecture, Kotoura-cho, JapanTohaku Agricultural Extension Center, Tottori PrefectureKotoura-choJapan
| | - Hiromitsu Inoue
- Institute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Higashihiroshima, JapanInstitute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationHigashihiroshimaJapan
| | - Kiyohiko Kagawa
- School of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, JapanSchool of Agriculture, Utsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiyaJapan
| | - Hidenari Kishimoto
- Institute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Morioka, JapanInstitute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationMoriokaJapan
| | - Mitsuko Kohyama
- Fruit Tree Research Institute, Uki, JapanFruit Tree Research InstituteUkiJapan
| | - Michiyo Komatsu
- Semboku Regional Development Bureau, Akita Prefecture, Daisen, JapanSemboku Regional Development Bureau, Akita PrefectureDaisenJapan
| | - Akihiro Konuma
- Department of Business Development, National Agricultural Research Organization, Tsukuba, JapanDepartment of Business Development, National Agricultural Research OrganizationTsukubaJapan
| | - Ken Nakada
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tottori Prefecture, Higashimachi, JapanDepartment of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tottori PrefectureHigashimachiJapan
| | - Suguru Nakamura
- Fukushima Agricultural Technology Centre, Fruit Tree Research Centre, Fukushima, JapanFukushima Agricultural Technology Centre, Fruit Tree Research CentreFukushimaJapan
| | - Nobuo Sawamura
- Shimane Agricultural Technology Center, Izumo, JapanShimane Agricultural Technology CenterIzumoJapan
| | - Shoji Sonoda
- School of Agriculture, Utsunomiya University, Utsunomiya, JapanSchool of Agriculture, Utsunomiya UniversityUtsunomiyaJapan
| | - Masahiro Sueyoshi
- Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management Organization, Tsukuba, JapanForestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Forest Research and Management OrganizationTsukubaJapan
| | - Seishi Toda
- Tea Research Insutitute, Kumamoto Prefecture, Mifune, JapanTea Research Insutitute, Kumamoto PrefectureMifuneJapan
| | - Katsuhiko Yaginuma
- Institute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Morioka, JapanInstitute of Fruit Tree and Tea Science, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationMoriokaJapan
| | - Shunsuke Yamamoto
- Eastern Shimane Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Promotion Center, Izumo, JapanEastern Shimane Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Promotion CenterIzumoJapan
| | - Koki Yoshida
- Fukushima Agricultural Technology Centre, Koriyama, JapanFukushima Agricultural Technology CentreKoriyamaJapan
| | - Tomoyuki Yokoi
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, JapanFaculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Masatoshi Toyama
- Institute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, JapanInstitute for Plant Protection, National Agriculture and Food Research OrganizationTsukubaJapan
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Herrera CM, Núñez A, Valverde J, Alonso C. Body mass decline in a Mediterranean community of solitary bees supports the size shrinking effect of climatic warming. Ecology 2023; 104:e4128. [PMID: 37342062 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
The long-known, widely documented inverse relationship between body size and environmental temperature ("temperature-size rule") has recently led to predictions of body size decline following current climatic warming ("size shrinking effect"). For keystone pollinators such as wild bees, body shrinking in response to warming can have significant effects on pollination processes but there is still little direct evidence of the phenomenon because adequate tests require controlling for confounding factors linked to climate change (e.g., habitat change). This paper assesses the shrinking effect in a community of solitary bees from well-preserved habitats in the core of a large nature reserve experiencing climatic warming without disturbances or habitat changes. Long-term variation in mean body mass was evaluated using data from 1704 individual bees (137 species, 27 genera, 6 families) sampled over 1990-2023. Climate warmed at a fast rate during this period, annual mean of daily maximum temperature increasing 0.069°C/year on average during 2000-2020. Changes in bee body mass verified expectations from the size shrinking effect. The mean individual body mass of the community of solitary bees declined significantly, irrespective of whether the analysis referred to the full species sample or only to the subset of species that were sampled in both the old (1990-1997) and recent (2022-2023) periods. On average, body mass declined ~0.7%·year-1 , or an estimated average cumulative reduction of ~20 mg per individual bee from 1990 to 2023. Proportional size reduction was greatest among large-bodied species, ranging from around -0.6%·year-1 for the smallest species to -0.9%·year-1 for the largest ones. Declining rate was steeper for cavity-nesting than ground-nesting species. The pollination and mating systems of bee-pollinated plants in the study region are probably undergoing significant alterations as a consequence of supra-annual decline in bee body mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Herrera
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Alejandro Núñez
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Javier Valverde
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Conchita Alonso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
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5
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Wallon S, Melo C, Tsafack N, Elias RB, Borges PA. Assessing the effects of climate change on arthropod abundance in Azorean pastures: PASTURCLIM project's baseline monitoring data. Biodivers Data J 2023; 11:e103723. [PMID: 38327350 PMCID: PMC10848743 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.11.e103723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background The data we present are part of the project PASTURCLIM (Impact of climate change on pasture's productivity and nutritional composition in the Azores). The project aims to assess the consequences of climate change (e.g. temperature increase) on the grass production and its quality for forage, as well as to assess changes in the arthropod communities associated with the Azorean intensive pastures. An in situ experiment was set up using Open Top Chambers (OTCs), in order to simulate an increasing of temperature (average of +1.2ºC) on pastures. In this contribution, we present the data relative to the arthropod sampling. New information We provide an inventory of all arthropods recorded inside OTCs and in control plots in three intensively managed pastures dominated by grasses in Terceira Island (Azores): two of them dominated by ryegrass, Loliummultiflorum Lam. (Poaceae), located respectively at 186 m and 301 m above sea level; and one field dominated by common velvetgrass, Holcuslanatus L. (Poaceae), located at an altitude of 385 m.A total of 41351 specimens were collected. Organisms collected belong to four classes, 15 orders, 60 families and 171 species/morphospecies (including 34 taxa identified only at order, family or genus level). Therefore, for only 137 taxa, we have a scientific name associated (n = 38918). A total of 75% of the species (n = 129 species) are considered introduced (including all the species with indeterminate colonisation status that are possibly also exotic species (n = 7622)), representing 71% of the total abundance (n = 29664 specimens). A total of 19% of the species (n = 33 species) are considered native non-endemic representing 28% of the total abundance (n = 11608 specimens). Only one endemic species was sampled, the wolf spider Pardosaacorensis Simon, 1883 (1% of the species), representing 0.2% of the total abundance (n = 79 specimens). Spiders (5056 specimens) and beetles (18310 specimens) were the dominant taxa representing, respectively, 20 and 78 morphospecies.Since the main aim of this study was to have a better knowledge on arthropod communities present in Azorean pastures under a simulated temperature increase, the principal novelty of this paper is the contribution with distribution and abundance data to a baseline knowledge on the future consequences of climate changes on arthropod communities in Azorean pastures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Wallon
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Catarina Melo
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- CFE – Centre for Functional Ecology, 3001-401 Coimbra, PortugalCFE – Centre for Functional Ecology3001-401 CoimbraPortugal
| | - Noelline Tsafack
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- Regional Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change, Project LIFE BEETLES (LIFE 18NAT/PT/000864), Rua do Galo n118, 9700-040, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalRegional Secretariat of Environment and Climate Change, Project LIFE BEETLES (LIFE 18NAT/PT/000864), Rua do Galo n118, 9700-040Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Rui B. Elias
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
| | - Paulo A.V. Borges
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalCentre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c)/Azorean Biodiversity Group, CHANGE – Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Environment, University of the Azores, Rua Capitão João d´Ávila, Pico da Urze, 9700-042Angra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
- IUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist Group, Angra do Heroísmo, Azores, PortugalIUCN SSC Mid-Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist GroupAngra do Heroísmo, AzoresPortugal
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Karbassioon A, Yearlsey J, Dirilgen T, Hodge S, Stout JC, Stanley DA. Responses in honeybee and bumblebee activity to changes in weather conditions. Oecologia 2023; 201:689-701. [PMID: 36790571 PMCID: PMC10038957 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05332-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Insect pollination, and in particular pollination by bees, is a highly valued ecosystem service that ensures plant reproduction and the production of high-quality crops. Bee activity is known to be influenced by the weather, and as the global climate continues to change, the flying frequency and foraging behaviour of bees may also change. To maximise the benefits of pollination in a changing world, we must first understand how current weather conditions influence the activity of different bee species. This is of particular interest in a country such as Ireland where inclement weather conditions are nominally sub-optimal for foraging. We observed honeybee (Apis mellifera) and buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) activity across a variety of weather conditions at seven apple orchards to determine how four weather variables (temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind) influenced the flight activity of each species. Each orchard contained three honeybee and three bumblebee colonies, and so we were able to observe a colony of each species concurrently in the same weather conditions. Overall, honeybees were more sensitive to changes in weather than bumblebees and could be more predisposed to future changes in within-day weather conditions. Our results indicate bumblebees could compensate for low honeybee activity in inclement conditions, which supports the theory that pollinator diversity provides resilience. This may be particularly important in management of pollinators in crops that flower in the spring when weather is more variable, and to allow varied responses to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arrian Karbassioon
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Jon Yearlsey
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tara Dirilgen
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Simon Hodge
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jane C Stout
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dara A Stanley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Schachat SR. Examining paleobotanical databases: Revisiting trends in angiosperm folivory and unlocking the paleoecological promise of propensity score matching and specification curve analysis. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.951547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Paleobotany is at a crossroads. Long-term trends in the fossil record of plants, encompassing their interactions with herbivores and with the environment, are of the utmost relevance for predicting global change as pCO2 continues to rise. Large data compilations with the potential to elucidate those trends are increasingly easy to assemble and access. However, in contrast to modern ecology and unlike various other paleontological disciplines, paleobotany has a limited history of “big data” meta-analyses. Debates about how much data are needed to address particular questions, and about how to control for potential confounding variables, have not examined paleobotanical data. Here I demonstrate the importance of analytical best practices by applying them to a recent meta-analysis of fossil angiosperms. Two notable analytical methods discussed here are propensity score matching and specification curve analysis. The former has been used in the biomedical and behavioral sciences for decades; the latter is a more recent method of examining relationships between, and inherent biases among, models. Propensity score matching allows one to account for potential confounding variables in observational studies, and more fundamentally, provides a way to quantify whether it is possible to account for them. Specification curve analysis provides the opportunity to examine patterns across a variety of schemes for partitioning data—for example, whether fossil assemblages are binned temporally by stage, epoch, or period. To my knowledge, neither of these methods has been used previously in paleontology, however, their use permits more robust analysis of paleoecological datasets. In the example provided here, propensity score matching is used to separate latitudinal trends from differences in age, climate, and plant community composition. Specification curve analysis is used to examine the robustness of apparent latitudinal trends to the schema used for assigning fossil assemblages to latitudinal bins. These analytical methods have the potential to further unlock the promise of the plant fossil record for elucidating long-term ecological and evolutionary change.
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