When does temperature limit bee flight? Identifying the missing pieces of the puzzle

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Insect Physiology
• Climate Change Biology

Background:

• Bee pollination is vital for ecosystems and agriculture, heavily relying on flight.
• Abiotic factors significantly influence bee flight performance and ecology.
• Current knowledge has critical gaps hindering predictive models.

Purpose of the Study:

• Identify key missing information limiting predictions of abiotic factor effects on bee flight.
• Highlight areas for future research to improve understanding of bee thermal biology and water regulation.
• Emphasize the need for mechanistic models to predict climate change impacts on bees.

Main Methods:

• Literature review identifying knowledge gaps in bee thermal biology and flight.
• Analysis of existing data on bee phylogeny, body size, and thermal limits.
• Synthesis of research on thermal balance, water regulation, and adaptive capacities.

Main Results:

• Limited understanding of thermal biology across diverse bee species, with most data from temperate Apinae.
• Mechanisms of thermal balance during flight are poorly understood, varying by species.
• Links between thermal balance and water regulation, and bees' adaptive responses to thermal variation are largely unknown.
• Biophysical modeling of heat and water exchange in bees needs advancement.

Conclusions:

• Addressing these knowledge gaps is essential for predicting climate change effects on bee physiology.
• Improved models are needed to forecast impacts on bee-mediated pollination services.
• Future research should focus on diverse bee species, flight energetics, water balance, and adaptive potential.