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High thermal tolerance in high elevation species and laboratory-reared colonies of tropical bumble bees
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  • Victor Hugo Gonzalez Betancourt,
  • Kennan Oyen,
  • Marlene Aguilar,
  • Andres Herrera,
  • Ruben Martin,
  • Rodulfo Ospina
Victor Hugo Gonzalez Betancourt
University of Kansas College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Kennan Oyen
University of Wyoming
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Marlene Aguilar
Universidad Militar Nueva Granada
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Andres Herrera
University of Kansas College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
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Ruben Martin
Universidad Militar Nueva Granada
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Rodulfo Ospina
Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Bogotá
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Abstract

1. Bumble bees are key pollinators with some species reared in captivity at a commercial scale, but with evidence of population declines and with alarming predictions under climate change scenarios. While studies on the thermal biology of temperate species are still limited, they are entirely absent from the tropics where the effects of climate change are expected to be greater. 2. Herein we test if tropical bumble bees’ lower (CTMin) and upper (CTMax) critical thermal limits decrease with elevation and if the stable optimal conditions used in laboratory-reared colonies reduces their thermal tolerance. 3. We assessed changes in CTMin and CTMax of four species at two elevations (2600 and 3600 m) in the Colombian Andes and of laboratory-reared individuals of B. pauloensis. In addition, we examined the effect of body size and compiled information on bumble bees’ thermal limits from the literature to assess potential predictors for broad-scale patterns of variation. 4. CTMin decreased with elevation while CTMax did not. CTMax was slightly higher (0.84 °C) in laboratory-reared than in wild-caught bees while CTMin was similar. CTMin decreased with increasing body size while CTMax did not. Latitude is a good predictor for variations in CTMin while annual mean temperature and extreme monthly temperatures are good predictors for both CTMin and CTMax. 5. The stronger response in CTMin with increasing elevation supports Brett’s heat-invariant hypothesis. Tropical bumble bees appear to be about as heat tolerant as those from temperate areas, suggesting that other aspects of climate besides temperature (e.g., water balance) might be more determinant environmental factors for these species under global warming. Laboratory-reared colonies are adequate surrogates for addressing questions on thermal tolerance and global warming impacts.
11 May 2022Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
11 May 2022Submission Checks Completed
11 May 2022Assigned to Editor
16 May 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
04 Aug 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
05 Aug 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 Aug 20221st Revision Received
29 Aug 2022Submission Checks Completed
29 Aug 2022Assigned to Editor
29 Aug 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
01 Sep 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
23 Sep 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
25 Sep 20222nd Revision Received
26 Sep 2022Submission Checks Completed
26 Sep 2022Assigned to Editor
26 Sep 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
26 Sep 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
25 Oct 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
27 Oct 20223rd Revision Received
27 Oct 2022Assigned to Editor
27 Oct 2022Submission Checks Completed
27 Oct 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
04 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
07 Nov 20224th Revision Received
08 Nov 2022Submission Checks Completed
08 Nov 2022Assigned to Editor
08 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
10 Nov 2022Editorial Decision: Accept