Pronounced pollinator elevational range shifts over 200 years in the European Alps

Abstract Pollinators in the European Alps are especially prone to the consequences of climate change. A common response to rising temperatures is to shift to higher elevations but the high complexity of mountain landscapes might buffer anticipated shifts on large spatial scales. An overarching assessment of elevational shifts of alpine pollinators throughout the Alps is lacking. We used a recently published curated dataset of bee and hoverfly records in Europe to calculate species elevation shifts of bumblebees, other wild bees and hoverflies in the European Alps since the 19th century. We found a large proportion of species shifting uphill with some species exceeding rates of 4–5 m per year, with high elevation species showing enhanced shift rates. We also found some species showing no response or shifting downslope. Our results indicate a high sensitivity of alpine pollinator species to rising temperatures and a high potential for spatial mismatches between interacting species.