PhD candidate Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan
Extreme heat events continue to increase in intensity and frequency in the 21st century with potential negative implications for bee-plant interactions. Bee pollinators may be indirectly affected when host plants endure heat stress during floral development, as the quantity and quality of nutritional resources may be reduced. This heat-mediated nutritional stress could result in negative consequences for female bees and their subsequent offspring, although little research has explored this. To uncover the indirect consequences of heat-stressed host plants on bee pollinators, we conducted a no-choice field cage study with Osmia lignaria females who were provided blooming blueberry, phacelia, and clover plants that were exposed to extreme heat (37.5°C for 4 h) or normal temperatures (25°C for 4 h). Females that were provided only heat stressed plants produced significantly fewer offspring than females provided non-stressed plants. Of the offspring produced in cages with heat-stressed plants, larval survival was significantly lower compared to those given plants exposed to normal temperatures. Our findings provide insight into the consequences of extreme heat exposure on the health, development, and behavior of bee pollinators and their offspring.
