Urbanization is associated with shifts in bumblebee body size, with cascading effects on pollination

Abstract

Urbanization is a global phenomenon with major effects on species, the structure of community functional traits and ecological interactions. Body size is a key species trait linked to metabolism, life-history and dispersal as well as a major determinant of ecological networks. Here, using a well-replicated urban-rural sampling design in Central Europe, we investigate the direction of change of body size in response to urbanization in three common bumblebee species, Bombus lapidarius, Bombus pascuorum and Bombus terrestris, and potential knock-on effects on pollination service provision. We found foragers of B. terrestris to be larger in cities and the body size of all species to be positively correlated with road density (albeit at different, species-specific scales); these are expected consequences of habitat fragmentation resulting from urbanization. High ambient temperature at sampling was associated with both a small body size and an increase in variation of body size in all three species. At the community level, the community-weighted mean body size and its variation increased with urbanization. Urbanization had an indirect positive effect on pollination services through its effects not only on flower visitation rate but also on community-weighted mean body size and its variation. We discuss the eco-evolutionary implications of the effect of urbanization on body size, and the relevance of these findings for the key ecosystem service of pollination.

Keywords: Bombus spp.; fragmentation; intertegular distance; land use; road density; temperature.