If it is true that a) pollen is becoming less nutritious, and b) bees will simply bring in more of it to compensate, then:
You are optimistic with the warming effect and here is my view to what happen in France this year. September is hopefully, now rainy and cool, but main honey flow is over.
https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Summer-2017-was-second-hottest-since-1900
http://agriculture.gouv.fr/episodes-de-secheresses-2015-2016-et-sante-des-arbres
We have now in France, repetition of dry episodes since 2015, forests are under deep hydric stress and some large area are on fire each summer. What happen in 2017 during this warm period from mid June to beginning of July 2017 ? The linden trees (Tilia cordata) bloomed but nectar and pollen were scarce and did not give what we could expect, some late flowers (Tilia tomentosa) totally dried and the leaves burned under the sun. In our forests, the European chestnut trees did bloom, but the male flowers that usually provide abundance of pollen and nectar for about 10 days, fell from the trees just after 3 days. They were burned by the sun, temperature above the canopy in full sun, was probably reaching 45°C with no wind. The leaves of these huge trees also burned very quickly. This was the shortest honey flow I have ever seen in 40 years. Curiously with this very short pollinisation, the chestnuts trees bears many fruits, but I expect them smaller than usual, we will see.
The problem is not the decrease of protein content, but rather a total lack of resources, trees or plants being under hydric stress and are too weak to provide nectar or pollen to the bees. What happen to our colonies in such case then ? Brood break, until new plants grow again, after a rain fall.
Of course, for cultivated crops, it is different as some can possibly be irrigated, but our colonies don't rely only on cultivated crops.
Georges
France
DMS X: 47° 59' 17.44" Y: 0° 9' 38.85"
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