Fire is associated with positive shifts in bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) body size and bee abundance in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires worldwide. Although wildfires are typically viewed as destructive, emerging research suggests they may have benefits for some species, including some pollinators. One reason for this is that wildfires can increase floral resource availability in the years immediately following the burn, potentially creating more favorable conditions for pollinator foraging and reproduction. In this study, we focused on how the 2021 KNP Complex Fire impacted the bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii in the Southern Sierra Mountains, where the effects of fire on this pollinator species have not been previously explored. Consistent with bumble bee studies in other areas, we found an increase in the size of B. vosnesenskii workers in recently burned areas. This effect was detectable despite a limited number of sampling events and locations in our study, and irrespective of the habitat type (meadow versus forest) in which sampling occurred. We fai..., , , # Fire is associated with positive shifts in bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) body size and bee abundance in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1c59zw463](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1c59zw463)

## Description of the data and file structure

Contains all analyses performed on datasets regarding how wildfires impact bumble bee populations in Sierra Nevada, California.

### Synopsis

We examined the body sizes of bumble bees in a large, recently burned forest-meadow complex, specifically in the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, to understand whether the habitat type (forest versus meadow) mediates the impact of fire on bee size. We detected evidence that bees are larger in recently burned areas, irrespective of habitat type.

### Sample Information

*see [Seki.dataset.csv](https://github.com/claudinpcosta/2024-Wildfires.Bees/blob/main/Data/Seki.dataset.csv) for all bee data and see [Site.Information.csv](https://github.com/claudinpcosta/2024-Wildfires.B...,