North American Bumble Bee Species Conservation Planning Workshop final report

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A recent nationwide study of bumble bee decline in the U.S. verifies that certain bumble bee species are declining across the U.S. and that the decline of these species is associated with decreased genetic diversity and higher prevalence of the fungal pathogen Nosema bombi. While the genetic diversity and pathogen prevalence data remain correlative, significant declines in abundance and distribution of four species was documented. That study followed upon the work of Robbin Thorp, who documented the decline and possible extinction of Franklin’s bumble bee (Bombus franklini) within the past decade. Bumble bee declines have also been noted in Europe and have been largely attributed to habitat loss and climatic factors. The patterns of decline in the U.S. appear to be different from those in Europe, but are part of an alarming trend toward the loss of pollinators. A comprehensive approach to arrest this threat is needed. Thus the St. Louis Zoo hosted an International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) North American Bumble Bee Species Conservation Strategy Workshop from November 9 through 12, 2010, organized by several organizations and attended by representatives of many agencies, organizations, and stakeholders. The workshop served as an important step in a long-term collaborative effort toward bumble bee conservation in North America as well as globally. Participants drew up a list of research priorities, such as determining whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship between the pathogen N. bombi and declining bumble bee species. Several other research priorities were developed, such as gathering and digitizing distribution and population data, creating long-term monitoring projects to better understand effects of climate change, studying bumble bee genetic diversity, investigating the effects of nonnative and commercial bees on native bee populations, and coordinating research projects along with data from citizen scientists from garden observations. Developing a regulatory structure that considers the health of both wild bees and the needs of the agricultural community was proposed. An IUCN/Species Survival Commission (SSC) Bumblebee Specialist Group was formed at the meeting and will coordinate research to help policy-makers. Three species with published evidence of decline (B. occidentalis, B. pensylvanicus, and B. terricola) will be submitted to IUCN for consideration for the Red List of Threatened Species. A North American Bumble Bee Species Conservation Strategy was also initiated to guide future research, conservation actions, funding opportunities, and possible regulations.

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ELECTRONIC FILE - Zoology: Invertebrates

Generic Citation: Cameron, S., S. Jepsen, E. Spevak, J. Strange, M. Vaughan, J. Engler, and O. Byers, editors. 2011. North American Bumble Bee Species Conservation Planning Workshop final report. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)/Species Survival Commission (SSC) Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, Apple Valley, MN.

CSE-style citation : Cameron S, Jepsen S, Spevak E, Strange J, Vaughan M, Engler J, Byers O, editors. 2011. North American Bumble Bee Species Conservation Planning Workshop final report. 9-12 Nov 2010; St. Louis Zoo, MO. Apple Valley, MN: IUCN/SSC Conservation Breeding Specialist Group. 63 p.

NOTE that this Biblio form lacks a field for publisher location. We also lack one for conference date; I've inserted date information in the Conference Location field, but haven't shown the publisher location anywhere but in this Note field, CSE-style citation.