Delving deeper: Questioning the decline of long-tongued bumble bees, long-tubed flowers and their mutualisms with climate change

Charlotte W de Keyzer; Sheila R Colla; Clement F Kent; Nicole E Rafferty; Leif L Richardson; James D Thomson

doi:10.26786/1920-7603(2016)15

Authors

Charlotte W de Keyzer University of Toronto, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
Sheila R Colla York University
Clement F Kent York University
Nicole E Rafferty Washington State University, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory
Leif L Richardson University of Vermont
James D Thomson University of Toronto, Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26786/1920-7603(2016)15

Abstract

Miller-Struttmann et al. (2015) suggest that, in a North American alpine ecosystem, reduced flower abundance due to climate change has driven the evolution of shorter tongues in two bumble bee species. We accept the evidence that tongue length has decreased, but are unconvinced by the adaptive explanation offered. It posits foraging responses and competitive relationships not seen in other studies and interprets phenotypic change as evidence of evolutionary adaptation. By oversimplifying a complex phenomenon, it may exaggerate the potential for bees to quickly adapt to environmental changes.

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