Bumblebees Being Crushed By Climate Change

sciencehabit writes: As the climate changes, plants and animals are on the move. So far, many are redistributing in a similar pattern: As habitat that was once too cold warms up, species are expanding their ranges toward the poles, whereas boundaries closer to the equator have remained more static. Bumblebees, however, appear to be a disturbing exception, according to a new study (abstract) . A comprehensive look at dozens of species finds that many North American and European bumblebees are failing to "track" warming by colonizing new habitats north of their historic range. Simultaneously, they are disappearing from the southern portions of their range.

Comments

Re:Pollinators

[Penguinisto]

Dude - bees have a much more immediate and far larger problem than some speculative "Oh Noes teh Hooman iz changings teh Climatez!" correlation:

http://www.theguardian.com/env...

I bet if you fix that, you'll see the populations rebound. 'course, stopping idiots from spraying neurotoxin-based pesticides is nowhere near as sexy as the magic words "Climate Change", but you know? I think it'd help the bees out a hell of a lot more, and a hell of a lot faster...

Re:Surely this is simply a natural, normal process

[Anonymous Coward]

Indeed, this is the case of the cult science of Climate Change vs. the cult science of Evolution. Considering how many warming periods and ice ages bumblebees have survived, it's ludicrous to suggest that they can't adapt to a changing climate through basic "These bees survived because they moved further North. The further North, the more likely the hive is to split and thrive. Therefore, we can predict that the Bumblebees will, as a species, propagate North" which is the least-disagreeable pillar of evolutionary science .

Re: Hooray!

[MightyMartian]

This is a basic tenet of the Church of the Invisible Hand. There's no problem that can't be solved by destroying nature and replacing it dollar-generating industries.

Re:Pollinators

[MightyMartian]

This Alanar Pindar sounds like a red pinko Commie (the last name totally gives it a way, can you imagine an Invisible Hand-fearing capitalist having a pinko name like "Pindar"). She should be fired and forced into some more appropriate Invisible Handy worthy occupation, instead of being an evil Communist out to ruin our economy and turn us all into universal healthcare-demanding socialist fuckers. Scientists, except where they are developing new means of producing massive profits, should all be taken out and put into work camps.