Historical Changes in Bumblebee Populations in Red Clover Fields
Author Information
Author(s): Yoko L. Dupont, Christian Damgaard, Vibeke Simonsen
Primary Institution: Aarhus University
Hypothesis
What are the historical changes in bumblebee assemblages in red clover fields over the past 80 years?
Conclusion
The study found significant declines in long-tongued bumblebee species, which are crucial for pollination, while short-tongued species remained largely unaffected.
Supporting Evidence
- Long-tongued bumblebee species showed consistent and dramatic declines in species richness and abundances.
- Five long-tongued bumblebee species observed in the 1930s were not found in the present study.
- Short-tongued bumblebee species remained largely unaffected by the changes.
Takeaway
Bumblebees that help flowers grow are disappearing from red clover fields, which is bad for the plants that need them, but some other types of bumblebees are still around.
Methodology
The study compared historical survey data from the 1930s with contemporary data using the same sampling protocols in red clover fields.
Potential Biases
Potential collector bias in historical data may affect the accuracy of abundance comparisons.
Limitations
The study may not account for all environmental changes affecting bumblebee populations over the decades.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on bumblebee populations in red clover fields in Denmark.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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