Abstract

Pollinators provide a key ecosystem service vital for the survival and stability of the biosphere. Identifying factors influencing the plant–pollinator mutualism and pollinator management is necessary for maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Since healthy beehives require substantial amounts of carbohydrates (nectar) and protein (pollen) from forage plants such as clover, we must assess how resources offered by plants change under limited water conditions in order to fully understand how drought modifies the pollination mutualism. Here we document how reduced water availability leads to decreased nectar quality and quantity and decreased protein quality of pollen. Furthermore, we provide conclusive evidence that these lower quality resources lead to decreased survival and productivity in both developing honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The results emphasize the importance of the nutritional effects of reduced water on bees when predicting shifts of pollination mutualisms under climate change.

中文翻译：

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水分减少通过花卉营养的转移而负面影响社会蜜蜂的生存和生产力

摘要

传粉媒介提供了关键的生态系统服务，对生物圈的生存和稳定至关重要。识别影响植物-授粉媒介互助和授粉媒介管理的因素对于维持健康的生态系统是必要的。由于健康的蜂箱需要三叶草等饲草植物中大量的碳水化合物（花蜜）和蛋白质（花粉），因此我们必须评估植物在有限的水条件下提供的资源如何变化，以便充分了解干旱如何改变授粉的共生关系。在这里，我们记录了减少的水分供应如何导致花蜜质量和数量下降以及花粉蛋白质质量下降。此外，我们提供了确凿的证据，表明这些质量较低的资源会导致两种正在发育的蜜蜂的生存率和生产力下降（膜翅目：Apidae）和大黄蜂（膜翅目：Apididae）。这些结果强调了在预测气候变化下授粉共生关系转变时减少水分对蜜蜂的营养作用的重要性。