Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees
1. In contrast to other social bees, bumble-bees exhibit considerable size variation within the worker caste. This size variation has not been adequately explained, although it is known that larger workers tend to be foragers and smaller bees spend more time in the nest. We quantify size variation a...
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ftunivstirling:oai:dspace.stir.ac.uk:1893/7357 2023-05-15T15:16:52+02:00 Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees Peat, James Darvill, Ben Ellis, Jonathan Goulson, Dave University of Southampton Biological and Environmental Sciences 2005-02 application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/1893/7357 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x http://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/7357/1/peat_functionalecology_2005.pdf en eng Wiley Peat J, Darvill B, Ellis J & Goulson D (2005) Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees. Functional Ecology, 19 (1), pp. 145-151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x http://hdl.handle.net/1893/7357 doi:10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x WOS:000227672000019 786572 http://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/7357/1/peat_functionalecology_2005.pdf The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study. http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved 2999-12-29 [peat_functionalecology_2005.pdf] The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository therefore there is an embargo on the full text of the work. Bombus Hymenoptera insulation temperature thermoregulation Journal Article VoR - Version of Record 2005 ftunivstirling https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x 2022-06-13T18:43:08Z 1. In contrast to other social bees, bumble-bees exhibit considerable size variation within the worker caste. This size variation has not been adequately explained, although it is known that larger workers tend to be foragers and smaller bees spend more time in the nest. We quantify size variation and mean size for foragers of 22 bumble-bee species inhabiting climates ranging from arctic and montane to the lowland tropics. 2. Mean size was larger in bee species from cold climates compared with temperate bumble-bees. Within species, individuals from Scotland tended to be larger than those from southern England. However, tropical bumble-bees (mostly belonging to the subgenus Fervidobombus) were largest of all. We suggest that although a lower limit to size may be imposed by inhabiting cold climates, overheating does not constrain large size in bumble-bees from hot climates, perhaps because they have efficient mechanisms for heat loss through shunting heat to their extremities. 3. Tropical bees had shorter thoracic setae than species from cooler climates, while B. terrestris from Greece had shorter setae than those from southern UK. Presumably shorter setae enhance heat loss in warm climates. 4. Larger workers of B. terrestris were found to have smaller extremities, in proportion to their size, than small workers. We suggest that heat retention is more important in large bees that spend more of their time foraging, than in small bees which spend much of their time in the nest where incubation of the brood requires them to lose heat. 5. In the temperate climate of southern UK, we found no evidence for ambient temperature having a differential effect on activity of workers of B. terrestris according to their size. We suggest that, at least in temperate climates, size variation in bumble-bee foragers is probably not an adaptation to temperature variation. Instead it may improve colony foraging efficiency since foragers of different sizes are suited to, and tend to visit, different flower species. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic University of Stirling: Stirling Digital Research Repository Arctic Functional Ecology 19 1 145 151 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Stirling: Stirling Digital Research Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftunivstirling |
language |
English |
topic |
Bombus Hymenoptera insulation temperature thermoregulation |
spellingShingle |
Bombus Hymenoptera insulation temperature thermoregulation Peat, James Darvill, Ben Ellis, Jonathan Goulson, Dave Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
topic_facet |
Bombus Hymenoptera insulation temperature thermoregulation |
description |
1. In contrast to other social bees, bumble-bees exhibit considerable size variation within the worker caste. This size variation has not been adequately explained, although it is known that larger workers tend to be foragers and smaller bees spend more time in the nest. We quantify size variation and mean size for foragers of 22 bumble-bee species inhabiting climates ranging from arctic and montane to the lowland tropics. 2. Mean size was larger in bee species from cold climates compared with temperate bumble-bees. Within species, individuals from Scotland tended to be larger than those from southern England. However, tropical bumble-bees (mostly belonging to the subgenus Fervidobombus) were largest of all. We suggest that although a lower limit to size may be imposed by inhabiting cold climates, overheating does not constrain large size in bumble-bees from hot climates, perhaps because they have efficient mechanisms for heat loss through shunting heat to their extremities. 3. Tropical bees had shorter thoracic setae than species from cooler climates, while B. terrestris from Greece had shorter setae than those from southern UK. Presumably shorter setae enhance heat loss in warm climates. 4. Larger workers of B. terrestris were found to have smaller extremities, in proportion to their size, than small workers. We suggest that heat retention is more important in large bees that spend more of their time foraging, than in small bees which spend much of their time in the nest where incubation of the brood requires them to lose heat. 5. In the temperate climate of southern UK, we found no evidence for ambient temperature having a differential effect on activity of workers of B. terrestris according to their size. We suggest that, at least in temperate climates, size variation in bumble-bee foragers is probably not an adaptation to temperature variation. Instead it may improve colony foraging efficiency since foragers of different sizes are suited to, and tend to visit, different flower species. |
author2 |
University of Southampton Biological and Environmental Sciences |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Peat, James Darvill, Ben Ellis, Jonathan Goulson, Dave |
author_facet |
Peat, James Darvill, Ben Ellis, Jonathan Goulson, Dave |
author_sort |
Peat, James |
title |
Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
title_short |
Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
title_full |
Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
title_fullStr |
Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
title_full_unstemmed |
Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
title_sort |
effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2005 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/1893/7357 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x http://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/7357/1/peat_functionalecology_2005.pdf |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic |
op_relation |
Peat J, Darvill B, Ellis J & Goulson D (2005) Effects of climate on intra- and interspecific size variation in bumble-bees. Functional Ecology, 19 (1), pp. 145-151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x http://hdl.handle.net/1893/7357 doi:10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x WOS:000227672000019 786572 http://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/7357/1/peat_functionalecology_2005.pdf |
op_rights |
The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study. http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved 2999-12-29 [peat_functionalecology_2005.pdf] The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository therefore there is an embargo on the full text of the work. |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00946.x |
container_title |
Functional Ecology |
container_volume |
19 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
145 |
op_container_end_page |
151 |
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1766347162437812224 |