Sperm can’t take the heat: Short-term temperature exposures compromise fertility of male bumble bees (Bombus impatiens)

Campion, Claire; Rajamohan, Arun; Dillon, Michael E.

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104491

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…There is temporal overlap between male and queen emergence, both leaving the nest in the heat of late summer, putting them at similar risk of encountering the same extreme heat events. While males were less sensitive to heat stress (had higher THS) than queens, sperm viability has been documented to decline in male bumble bees exposed to elevated temperatures that fall far below the temperatures tested here (Campion et al., 2023; Martinet, Zambra, et al., 2021), thus cross‐generational effects must also be considered in their heat adaptation and vulnerability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variance in heat tolerance in bumble bees correlates with species geographic range and is associated with several environmental and biological factors

Feuerborn,

Quinlan,

Shippee

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Globally, insects have been impacted by climate change, with bumble bees in particular showing range shifts and declining species diversity with global warming. This suggests heat tolerance is a likely factor limiting the distribution and success of these bees. Studies have shown high intraspecific variance in bumble bee thermal tolerance, suggesting biological and environmental factors may be impacting heat resilience. Understanding these factors is important for assessing vulnerability and finding environmental solutions to mitigate effects of climate change. In this study, we assess whether geographic range variation in bumble bees in the eastern United States is associated with heat tolerance and further dissect which other biological and environmental factors explain variation in heat sensitivity in these bees. We examine heat tolerance by caste, sex, and rearing condition (wild/lab) across six eastern US bumble bee species, and assess the role of age, reproductive status, body size, and interactive effects of humidity and temperature on thermal tolerance in Bombus impatiens. We found marked differences in heat tolerance by species that correlate with each species' latitudinal range, habitat, and climatic niche, and we found significant variation in thermal sensitivity by caste and sex. Queens had considerably lower heat tolerance than workers and males, with greater tolerance when queens would first be leaving their natal nest, and lower tolerance after ovary activation. Wild bees tended to have higher heat tolerance than lab reared bees, and body size was associated with heat tolerance only in wild‐caught foragers. Humidity showed a strong interaction with heat effects, pointing to the need to regulate relative humidity in thermal assays and consider its role in nature. Altogether, we found most tested biological conditions impact thermal tolerance and highlight the stages of these bees that will be most sensitive to future climate change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variance in heat tolerance in bumble bees correlates with species geographic range and is associated with several environmental and biological factors

Feuerborn,

Quinlan,

Shippee

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Recent studies show that elevated temperatures can affect the reproductive fitness of bumblebees ( Campion, Rajamohan & Dillon, 2023 ). In Bombus ignitus , an important pollinator in China and Japan, colony foundation, initiation, and male production has been shown to be negatively affected by temperature, with bees reared at 27 °C performing better than those at 30 °C ( Yoon, Kim & Kim, 2002 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees

Sepúlveda,

Nicholls,

Schuett

et al. 2024

PeerJ

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Climate change is currently considered one of the major threats to biodiversity and is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. Heatwaves create acutely stressful conditions that may lead to disruption in the performance and survival of ecologically and economically important organisms, such as insect pollinators. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated heatwaves on the performance of queenless microcolonies of Bombus terrestris audax under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that heatwaves can have significant impacts on bumblebee performance. However, contrary to our expectations, exposure to heatwaves did not affect survival. Exposure to a mild 5-day heatwave (30–32 °C) resulted in increased offspring production compared to those exposed to an extreme heatwave (34–36 °C) and to the control group (24 °C). We also found that brood-care behaviours were impacted by the magnitude of the heatwave. Wing fanning occurred occasionally at temperatures of 30–32 °C, whereas at 34–36 °C the proportion of workers engaged in this thermoregulatory behaviour increased significantly. Our results provide insights into the effects of heatwaves on bumblebee colony performance and underscore the use of microcolonies as a valuable tool for studying the effects of extreme weather events. Future research, especially field-based studies replicating natural foraging conditions, is crucial to complement laboratory-based studies to comprehend how heatwaves compromise the performance of pollinators. Such studies may potentially help to identify those species more resilient to climate change, as well as those that are most vulnerable.

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“…[4], bumble bees (Bombus sp.) [5,6], fruit moths (Grapholita molesta) [7], parasitoid wasps (Anisopteromalus calandrae and Aphidius avenae) [8,9], and honey bees (Apis mellifera) [10][11][12], among others [2]. Although many insect species are affected by the heat, the impact on bees is particularly concerning due to our reliance on them for agricultural pollination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population origin, body mass, and viral infections influence drone honey bee (Apis mellifera) heat tolerance

McAfee,

Metz,

Connor

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Extreme temperatures associated with climate change are expected to impact the physiology and fertility of a variety of insects, including honey bees. Most previous work has focused on female honey bees, and comparatively little research has investigated how heat exposure affects males (drones). To address this gap, we tested how body mass, viral infections, Africanization, and geographic origin (including stocks from Australia, California, and Ukraine as well as diverse locations within British Columbia, Canada) influenced drone and sperm heat tolerance. We found that individual body size was highly influential, with heavier drones being more likely to survive a heat challenge than smaller drones. Drones originating from feral colonies in Southern California (which are enriched for African genetics) were also more likely to survive a heat challenge than drones originating from commercially-supplied Californian stock. We found no association between drone mass and thermal tolerance of sperm over time in an in vitro challenge assay, but experimental viral infection decreased the heat tolerance of sperm. Overall, there is ample variation in sperm heat tolerance, with sperm from some groups displaying remarkable heat resilience and sperm from others being highly sensitive, with additional factors influencing heat tolerance of the drones themselves.

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Sperm can’t take the heat: Short-term temperature exposures compromise fertility of male bumble bees (Bombus impatiens)

Cited by 7 publications

References 61 publications

Variance in heat tolerance in bumble bees correlates with species geographic range and is associated with several environmental and biological factors

Variance in heat tolerance in bumble bees correlates with species geographic range and is associated with several environmental and biological factors

Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees

Population origin, body mass, and viral infections influence drone honey bee (Apis mellifera) heat tolerance

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