The Role of Honeybees in Plant-Bee Networks Across Neotropical Elevational Gradients
Highlights:
- The study explores how species richness, interaction diversity, and the role of Apis mellifera change across elevations in a Neotropical region.
- Findings indicate a reduction in plant, bee, and interaction diversity as elevation increases, potentially due to climatic filtering.
- Despite being a generalist species, A. mellifera's role within plant-bee networks also decreases with rising elevation.
Introduction
The honeybee (Apis mellifera) is an introduced pollinator in many parts of the world and is known for its capacity to outcompete native bees for resources. However, little is understood about how its role within plant-bee networks varies along elevational gradients. This study examines changes in the richness of plant and bee species and the diversity of their interactions across a range of elevations, from coastal dunes to pine-fir forests in Mexico.
Research Findings
The research, conducted along an elevational gradient from sea level to 3425 meters above sea level, found that plant and bee species richness, as well as interaction diversity, decrease as elevation increases. Notably, A. mellifera, despite being a super generalist, exhibited a reduced role in these networks at higher elevations. Surprisingly, the species’ influence did not significantly affect the diversity of plant-bee interactions across the gradient.
The findings suggest that climatic conditions could be filtering both plant and bee species, even affecting the interactions of a highly adaptable species like A. mellifera. These patterns of decreasing interaction diversity at higher elevations may offer insights into the broader impacts of climate change, as the rapid temperature shifts observed in mountain ecosystems are expected to continue altering species distributions and ecological dynamics.
Conclusion
This research highlights the importance of understanding how species interactions change with elevation, particularly in light of ongoing climate change. The decreased role of A. mellifera at higher elevations underscores the complexity of plant-pollinator networks and the need for further studies to understand how these interactions will evolve under shifting environmental conditions.
