Climate Change Contributed to Drastic Declines in the Bumblebee Population

Doyle Rice reported in today’s USAToday that, “Climate change contributed to drastic declines in the population and diversity of bumblebees across North America and Europe, according to a long-term study of more than 60 bee species published [on Feb. 6th] in the journal Science.

“Researchers discovered bumblebees are disappearing at rates ‘consistent with a mass extinction.’

“The scientists said North America’s bumblebee populations fell by 46% during the two time periods the study used – from 1901 to 1974 and from 2000 to 2014.”

Mr. Rice stated that, “The study found that in the course of a single human generation, the likelihood of a bumblebee population surviving in a given place has declined by an average of more than 30%.”

The USAToday article added that, “In an accompanying perspective article in Science, Jonathan Bridle and Alexandra van Rensburg of the University of Bristol wrote, ‘The new study adds to a growing body of evidence for alarming, widespread losses of biodiversity and for rates of global change that now exceed the critical limits of ecosystem resilience.'”

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