Burning issue: study finds fire a friend to some bees, a foe to others

(Press-News.org) New Curtin University research has found the impact of bushfires and prescribed burns on global bee populations is highly varied, with some species benefiting from fire while others face severe risks.

 

The study, led by Adjunct Research Fellow Dr Kit Prendergast from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, examined 148 studies from around the world to understand how fire impacts bees.

 

The review considered the severity, frequency and duration of fires, along with the different characteristics of bees, such as where they nest, their body size, how specialised their diet is and whether they live alone or in groups.

 

Dr Prendergast said while declining pollinator numbers are being increasingly recognised as a major threat to biodiversity and sustainability, little was known until now about how they respond to fires that are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change and land management practices.

 

“We found that ground-nesting bees and those that feed on many different plants often flourished in the open, sunny conditions that follow a fire. But bees that nest in little pre-made holes in trees or those that rely on just a few plant species for food were far more vulnerable, as fires can destroy their nesting sites and the plants they depend on,” Dr Prendergast said.

 

“Overall, our findings show that bee responses to fire are highly varied, with some species benefiting, while others decline or disappear altogether.

 

“The review highlighted significant research gaps, with most existing studies coming from North America and Europe, rather than fire-prone Southern Hemisphere ecosystems.

 

“Despite Australia being home to a rich diversity of native bees and some of the world’s most fire-affected landscapes, there is a lack of research into how our unique native bees cope with fire.”

 

Study co-author Associate Professor Bill Bateman, also from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said the findings underscored the importance of tailoring fire management to support biodiversity.

 

“This review shows there is no one-size-fits-all approach, with fire proving to be beneficial for some bees and catastrophic for others,” Associate Professor Bateman said.

 

“To preserve bee diversity, land managers need to think beyond hazard reduction and consider strategies such as leaving unburnt refuges, maintaining habitat connectivity and using a mosaic of burn types across the landscape.

 

“This is especially important in Australia, where our ecosystems and bees have evolved under very different fire regimes compared to the Northern Hemisphere.”

 

The study recommended that fire management plans incorporate measures to support native bee survival and recovery, given their vital role in pollination, food security and ecosystem health.

 

The full study ‘Bees feeling the burn: how fire affects global bee biodiversity’ is published in ‘Biological Reviews’ and can be accessed here: doi: 10.1111/brv.70082

END