1
|
Mogensen AL, Andersen LB, Sørensen JG, Offenberg J. Manipulated ants: inducing loyalty to sugar feeders with an alkaloid. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024. [PMID: 38407544 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Wood ants are promising biocontrol agents in fruit plantations because they prey on pest insects and inhibit plant diseases. However, these ants also attend plant-feeding homopterans to harvest their honeydew secretions, thereby increasing their numbers. This problem can be solved by offering ants alternative sugar sources that are more attractive than honeydew. From natural interactions, it is known that some species manipulate mutualistic partners toward loyalty by adding alkaloids to the food they offer their mutualists. Inspired by this, the addition of alkaloids might be used to make ants loyal to artificial sugar feeders and thus used to reduce populations of ant-farmed homopterans in ant-mediated biological control. We aimed to explore whether wood ants (Formica polyctena) would develop a taste preference for morphine-containing sugar solutions in two-choice laboratory tests. RESULTS After having fed on a morphine/sugar solution for 1 week, ants showed a significant preference for morphine solutions compared with equal concentration sugar solutions without morphine. Furthermore, ants lost this preference after 6-9 days on a morphine-free diet. CONCLUSION The results show that wood ants react to morphine in their food, enabling chemical manipulation of their behavior, most likely through a taste preference. Thus, ants are susceptible to manipulation by mutualistic partners in natural interactions and furthermore may be manipulated artificially in biocontrol programs to avoid ant-mediated build-up of homopteran populations. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anders Lander Mogensen
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Laurits Bundgaard Andersen
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Robert T, Tarapata K, Nityananda V. Learning modifies attention during bumblebee visual search. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2024; 78:22. [PMID: 38333735 PMCID: PMC10847365 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-024-03432-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
Abstract The role of visual search during bee foraging is relatively understudied compared to the choices made by bees. As bees learn about rewards, we predicted that visual search would be modified to prioritise rewarding flowers. To test this, we ran an experiment testing how bee search differs in the initial and later part of training as they learn about flowers with either higher- or lower-quality rewards. We then ran an experiment to see how this prior training with reward influences their search on a subsequent task with different flowers. We used the time spent inspecting flowers as a measure of attention and found that learning increased attention to rewards and away from unrewarding flowers. Higher quality rewards led to decreased attention to non-flower regions, but lower quality rewards did not. Prior experience of lower rewards also led to more attention to higher rewards compared to unrewarding flowers and non-flower regions. Our results suggest that flowers would elicit differences in bee search behaviour depending on the sugar content of their nectar. They also demonstrate the utility of studying visual search and have important implications for understanding the pollination ecology of flowers with different qualities of reward. Significance statement Studies investigating how foraging bees learn about reward typically focus on the choices made by the bees. How bees deploy attention and visual search during foraging is less well studied. We analysed flight videos to characterise visual search as bees learn which flowers are rewarding. We found that learning increases the focus of bees on flower regions. We also found that the quality of the reward a flower offers influences how much bees search in non-flower areas. This means that a flower with lower reward attracts less focussed foraging compared to one with a higher reward. Since flowers do differ in floral reward, this has important implications for how focussed pollinators will be on different flowers. Our approach of looking at search behaviour and attention thus advances our understanding of the cognitive ecology of pollination. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-024-03432-z.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Théo Robert
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
| | - Karolina Tarapata
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
| | - Vivek Nityananda
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Framlington Place, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 4HH UK
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Galante H, Czaczkes TJ. Invasive ant learning is not affected by seven potential neuroactive chemicals. Curr Zool 2024; 70:87-97. [PMID: 38476136 PMCID: PMC10926265 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoad001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Argentine ants Linepithema humile are one of the most damaging invasive alien species worldwide. Enhancing or disrupting cognitive abilities, such as learning, has the potential to improve management efforts, for example by increasing preference for a bait, or improving ants' ability to learn its characteristics or location. Nectar-feeding insects are often the victims of psychoactive manipulation, with plants lacing their nectar with secondary metabolites such as alkaloids and non-protein amino acids which often alter learning, foraging, or recruitment. However, the effect of neuroactive chemicals has seldomly been explored in ants. Here, we test the effects of seven potential neuroactive chemicals-two alkaloids: caffeine and nicotine; two biogenic amines: dopamine and octopamine, and three nonprotein amino acids: β-alanine, GABA and taurine-on the cognitive abilities of invasive L. humile using bifurcation mazes. Our results confirm that these ants are strong associative learners, requiring as little as one experience to develop an association. However, we show no short-term effect of any of the chemicals tested on spatial learning, and in addition no effect of caffeine on short-term olfactory learning. This lack of effect is surprising, given the extensive reports of the tested chemicals affecting learning and foraging in bees. This mismatch could be due to the heavy bias towards bees in the literature, a positive result publication bias, or differences in methodology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henrique Galante
- Department of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Animal Comparative Economics Laboratory, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tomer J Czaczkes
- Department of Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, Animal Comparative Economics Laboratory, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bischoff K, Moiseff J. The role of the veterinary diagnostic toxicologist in apiary health. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023; 35:597-616. [PMID: 37815239 PMCID: PMC10621547 DOI: 10.1177/10406387231203965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Susceptibility of individuals and groups to toxicants depends on complex interactions involving the host, environment, and other exposures. Apiary diagnostic investigation and honey bee health are truly population medicine: the colony is the patient. Here we provide basic information on the application of toxicology to the testing of domestic honey bees, and, in light of recent research, expand on some of the challenges of interpreting analytical chemistry findings as they pertain to hive health. The hive is an efficiently organized system of wax cells used to store brood, honey, and bee bread, and is protected by the bee-procured antimicrobial compound propolis. Toxicants can affect individual workers outside or inside the hive, with disease processes that range from acute to chronic and subclinical to lethal. Toxicants can impact brood and contaminate honey, bee bread, and structural wax. We provide an overview of important natural and synthetic toxicants to which honey bees are exposed; behavioral, husbandry, and external environmental factors influencing exposure; short- and long-term impacts of toxicant exposure on individual bee and colony health; and the convergent impacts of stress, nutrition, infectious disease, and toxicant exposures on colony health. Current and potential future toxicology testing options are included. Common contaminants in apiary products consumed or used by humans (honey, wax, pollen), their sources, and the potential need for product testing are also noted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karyn Bischoff
- New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer Moiseff
- New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lin C, Duan Y, Li R, Wang P, Sun Y, Ding X, Zhang J, Yan H, Zhang W, Peng B, Zhao L, Zhang C. Flavonoid Biosynthesis Pathway May Indirectly Affect Outcrossing Rate of Cytoplasmic Male-Sterile Lines of Soybean. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3461. [PMID: 37836201 PMCID: PMC10575370 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
(1) Background: Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is important for exploiting heterosis. Soybean (Glycine max L.) has a low outcrossing rate that is detrimental for breeding sterile lines and producing hybrid seeds. Therefore, the molecular mechanism controlling the outcrossing rate should be elucidated to increase the outcrossing rate of soybean CMS lines; (2) Methods: The male-sterile soybean lines JLCMS313A (with a high outcrossing rate; HL) and JLCMS226A (with a low outcrossing rate; LL) were used for a combined analysis of the transcriptome (RNA-seq) and the targeted phenol metabolome; (3) Results: The comparison between HL and LL detected 5946 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 81 phenolic metabolites. The analysis of the DEGs and differentially abundant phenolic metabolites identified only one common KEGG pathway related to flavonoid biosynthesis. The qRT-PCR expression for eight DEGs was almost consistent with the transcriptome data. The comparison of the cloned coding sequence (CDS) regions of the SUS, FLS, UGT, and F3H genes between HL and LL revealed seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) only in the F3H CDS. Moreover, five significant differentially abundant phenolic metabolites between HL and LL were associated with flavonoid metabolic pathways. Finally, on the basis of the SNPs in the F3H CDS, one derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS) marker was developed to distinguish between HL and LL soybean lines; (4) Conclusions: The flavonoid biosynthesis pathway may indirectly affect the outcrossing rate of CMS sterile lines in soybean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunjing Lin
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Yuetong Duan
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Rong Li
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
| | - Pengnian Wang
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Yanyan Sun
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Xiaoyang Ding
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Jingyong Zhang
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Hao Yan
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Bao Peng
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Limei Zhao
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| | - Chunbao Zhang
- Soybean Research Institute, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun 130033, China; (C.L.); (Y.D.); (R.L.); (P.W.); (Y.S.); (X.D.); (J.Z.); (H.Y.); (W.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Hybrid Soybean Breeding of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Changchun 130033, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Motta EVS, Arnott RLW, Moran NA. Caffeine Consumption Helps Honey Bees Fight a Bacterial Pathogen. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0052023. [PMID: 37212661 PMCID: PMC10269917 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00520-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Caffeine has long been used as a stimulant by humans. Although this secondary metabolite is produced by some plants as a mechanism of defense against herbivores, beneficial or detrimental effects of such consumption are usually associated with dose. The Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, can also be exposed to caffeine when foraging at Coffea and Citrus plants, and low doses as are found in the nectar of these plants seem to boost memory learning and ameliorate parasite infection in bees. In this study, we investigated the effects of caffeine consumption on the gut microbiota of honey bees and on susceptibility to bacterial infection. We performed in vivo experiments in which honey bees, deprived of or colonized with their native microbiota, were exposed to nectar-relevant concentrations of caffeine for a week, then challenged with the bacterial pathogen Serratia marcescens. We found that caffeine consumption did not impact the gut microbiota or survival rates of honey bees. Moreover, microbiota-colonized bees exposed to caffeine were more resistant to infection and exhibited increased survival rates compared to microbiota-colonized or microbiota-deprived bees only exposed to the pathogen. Our findings point to an additional benefit of caffeine consumption in honey bee health by protecting against bacterial infections. IMPORTANCE The consumption of caffeine is a remarkable feature of the human diet. Common drinks, such as coffee and tea, contain caffeine as a stimulant. Interestingly, honey bees also seem to like caffeine. They are usually attracted to the low concentrations of caffeine found in nectar and pollen of Coffea plants, and consumption improves learning and memory retention, as well as protects against viruses and fungal parasites. In this study, we expanded these findings by demonstrating that caffeine can improve survival rates of honey bees infected with Serratia marcescens, a bacterial pathogen known to cause sepsis in animals. However, this beneficial effect was only observed when bees were colonized with their native gut microbiota, and caffeine seemed not to directly affect the gut microbiota or survival rates of bees. Our findings suggest a potential synergism between caffeine and gut microbial communities in protection against bacterial pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Erick V. S. Motta
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan L. W. Arnott
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Nancy A. Moran
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Barberis M, Calabrese D, Galloni M, Nepi M. Secondary Metabolites in Nectar-Mediated Plant-Pollinator Relationships. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12030550. [PMID: 36771634 PMCID: PMC9920422 DOI: 10.3390/plants12030550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, our understanding of the complex chemistry of floral nectar and its ecological implications for plant-pollinator relationships has certainly increased. Nectar is no longer considered merely a reward for pollinators but rather a plant interface for complex interactions with insects and other organisms. A particular class of compounds, i.e., nectar secondary compounds (NSCs), has contributed to this new perspective, framing nectar in a more comprehensive ecological context. The aim of this review is to draft an overview of our current knowledge of NSCs, including emerging aspects such as non-protein amino acids and biogenic amines, whose presence in nectar was highlighted quite recently. After considering the implications of the different classes of NSCs in the pollination scenario, we discuss hypotheses regarding the evolution of such complex nectar profiles and provide cues for future research on plant-pollinator relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Barberis
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Daniele Calabrese
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Marta Galloni
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 42, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Massimo Nepi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Centre (NBFC), 90123 Palermo, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
DeVetter LW, Chabert S, Milbrath MO, Mallinger RE, Walters J, Isaacs R, Galinato SP, Kogan C, Brouwer K, Melathopoulos A, Eeraerts M. Toward evidence-based decision support systems to optimize pollination and yields in highbush blueberry. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2022.1006201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Highbush blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) is a globally important fruit crop that depends on insect-mediated pollination to produce quality fruit and commercially viable yields. Pollination success in blueberry is complex and impacted by multiple interacting factors including flower density, bee diversity and abundance, and weather conditions. Other factors, including floral traits, bee traits, and economics also contribute to pollination success at the farm level but are less well understood. As blueberry production continues to expand globally, decision-aid technologies are needed to optimize and enhance the sustainability of pollination strategies. The objective of this review is to highlight our current knowledge about blueberry pollination, where current research efforts are focused, and where future research should be directed to successfully implement a comprehensive blueberry pollination decision-making framework for modern production systems. Important knowledge gaps remain, including how to integrate wild and managed pollinators to optimize pollination, and how to provide predictable and stable crop pollination across variable environmental conditions. In addition, continued advances in pesticide stewardship are required to optimize pollinator health and crop outcomes. Integration of on- and off-farm data, statistical models, and software tools could distill complex scientific information into decision-aid systems that support sustainable, evidence-based pollination decisions at the farm level. Utility of these tools will require multi-disciplinary research and strategic deployment through effective extension and information-sharing networks of growers, beekeepers, and extension/crop advisors.
Collapse
|
9
|
Li Z, Huang Q, Zheng Y, Zhang Y, Li X, Zhong S, Zeng Z. Identification of the Toxic Compounds in Camellia oleifera Honey and Pollen to Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera). JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:13176-13185. [PMID: 36214176 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c04950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the components of Camellia oleifera honey and pollen and conducting corresponding toxicological tests are essential to revealing the mechanism of Camellia oleifera toxicity to honey bees. In this research, we investigated the saccharides and alkaloids in honey, nectar, and pollen from Camellia oleifera, which were compared with honey, nectar, and pollen from Brassica napus, a widely planted flowering plant. The result showed that melibiose, manninotriose, raffinose, stachyose, and lower amounts of santonin and caffeine were found in Camellia oleifera nectar, pollen, and honey but not in B. napus nectar, pollen, and honey. Toxicological experiments indicated that manninotriose, raffinose, and stachyose in Camellia oleifera honey are toxic to bees, while alkaloids in Camellia oleifera pollen are not toxic to honey bees. The toxicity mechanism of oligosaccharides revealed by temporal metabolic profiling is that oligosaccharides cannot be further digested by honey bees and thus get accumulated in honey bees, disturbing the synthesis and metabolism of trehalose, ultimately causing honey bee mortality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| | - Qiang Huang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zheng
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| | - Shiqing Zhong
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| | - Zhijiang Zeng
- Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330045, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jones P, Agrawal AA. Caffeine and ethanol in nectar interact with flower color impacting bumblebee behavior. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03208-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
11
|
Stevenson PC, Koch H, Nicolson SW, Brown MJF. Natural processes influencing pollinator health. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20210154. [PMID: 35491596 PMCID: PMC9062705 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence from the last few decades indicates that pollinator abundance and diversity are at risk, with many species in decline. Anthropogenic impacts have been the focus of much recent work on the causes of these declines. However, natural processes, from plant chemistry, nutrition and microbial associations to landscape and habitat change, can also profoundly influence pollinator health. Here, we argue that these natural processes require greater attention and may even provide solutions to the deteriorating outlook for pollinators. Existing studies also focus on the decline of individuals and colonies and only occasionally at population levels. In the light of this we redefine pollinator health and argue that a top-down approach is required focusing at the ecological level of communities. We use examples from the primary research, opinion and review articles published in this special issue to illustrate how natural processes influence pollinator health, from community to individuals, and highlight where some of these processes could mitigate the challenges of anthropogenic and natural drivers of change. This article is part of the theme issue 'Natural processes influencing pollinator health: from chemistry to landscapes'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip C Stevenson
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK.,Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Hauke Koch
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kew Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Susan W Nicolson
- Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kim H, Lee G, Song J, Kim SG. Real-Time Visualization of Scent Accumulation Reveals the Frequency of Floral Scent Emissions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:835305. [PMID: 35548271 PMCID: PMC9083826 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.835305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Flowers emit a bouquet of volatiles to attract pollinators or to protect flowers from pathogen and herbivore attacks. Most floral volatiles are synthesized in the cytoplasm of petals and released into the headspace at a specific time of day. Various floral scent sampling methods coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry have been used to measure the quality and quantity of floral volatiles. However, little is known about the emission patterns of floral scents. In most cases, it is still unclear whether floral scents emit continuously or discontinuously. Here we measured the frequency with which lily flowers emit scents using optical interferometry. By analyzing the refractive index difference between volatile organic compounds and ambient air, we were able to visualize the accumulation of the volatile vapors. The frequency of volatile emission was calculated from the unique footprint of temporal power spectrum maps. Based on these real-time measurements, we found that lily flowers emit the volatile compounds discontinuously, with pulses observed around every 10-50 min.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyoungsoo Kim
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Gilgu Lee
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Junyong Song
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Sang-Gyu Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Fitch G, Figueroa LL, Koch H, Stevenson PC, Adler LS. Understanding effects of floral products on bee parasites: Mechanisms, synergism, and ecological complexity. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:244-256. [PMID: 35299588 PMCID: PMC8920997 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Floral nectar and pollen commonly contain diverse secondary metabolites. While these compounds are classically thought to play a role in plant defense, recent research indicates that they may also reduce disease in pollinators. Given that parasites have been implicated in ongoing bee declines, this discovery has spurred interest in the potential for 'medicinal' floral products to aid in pollinator conservation efforts. We review the evidence for antiparasitic effects of floral products on bee diseases, emphasizing the importance of investigating the mechanism underlying antiparasitic effects, including direct or host-mediated effects. We discuss the high specificity of antiparasitic effects of even very similar compounds, and highlight the need to consider how nonadditive effects of multiple compounds, and the post-ingestion transformation of metabolites, mediate the disease-reducing capacity of floral products. While the bulk of research on antiparasitic effects of floral products on bee parasites has been conducted in the lab, we review evidence for the impact of such effects in the field, and highlight areas for future research at the floral product-bee disease interface. Such research has great potential both to enhance our understanding of the role of parasites in shaping plant-bee interactions, and the role of plants in determining bee-parasite dynamics. This understanding may in turn reveal new avenues for pollinator conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gordon Fitch
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - Laura L. Figueroa
- Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
- Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Hauke Koch
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Philip C. Stevenson
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Green, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AE, UK
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Kent, ME4 4TB, UK
| | - Lynn S. Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Impacts of Wildflower Interventions on Beneficial Insects in Fruit Crops: A Review. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030304. [PMID: 35323602 PMCID: PMC8955123 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Integrated pest management (IPM) has been practiced by the fruit industry for at least 30 years. Naturally occurring beneficial insects have been encouraged to thrive alongside introduced predatory insects. However, Conservation Biological Control (CBC) and augmented biocontrol through the release of large numbers of natural enemies is normally only widely adopted when a pest has become resistant to available conventional pesticides and control has begun to break down. In addition, the incorporation of wild pollinator management, essential to fruit production, has, in the past, not been a priority but is now increasingly recognized through integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM). This review focuses on the impacts on pest regulation and pollination services in fruit crops through the delivery of natural enemies and pollinating insects by provisioning areas of fruiting crops with floral resources. Most of the studies in this review highlighted beneficial or benign impacts of floral resource prevision to fruit crops. However, placement in the landscape and spill-over of beneficial arthropods into the crop can be influential and limiting. This review also highlights the need for longer-term ecological studies to understand the impacts of changing arthropod communities over time and the opportunity to tailor wildflower mixes to specific crops for increased pest control and pollination benefits, ultimately impacting fruit growers bottom-line with less reliance on pesticides.
Collapse
|
15
|
Richman SK, Maalouf IM, Smilanich AM, Marquez Sanchez D, Miller SZ, Leonard AS. A neonicotinoid pesticide alters how nectar chemistry affects bees. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Sharron Z. Miller
- Department of Biology University of Nevada Reno NV 89557 USA
- Department of Entomology Michigan State University Lansing MI 48864 USA
| | - Anne S. Leonard
- Department of Biology University of Nevada Reno NV 89557 USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Estravis-Barcala MC, Palottini F, Farina WM. Learning of a mimic odor combined with nectar nonsugar compounds enhances honeybee pollination of a commercial crop. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23918. [PMID: 34907244 PMCID: PMC8671565 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03305-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The increasing demand on pollination services leads food industry to consider new strategies for management of pollinators to improve their efficiency in agroecosystems. Recently, it was demonstrated that feeding beehives food scented with an odorant mixture mimicking the floral scent of a crop (sunflower mimic, SM) enhanced foraging activity and improved recruitment to the target inflorescences, which led to higher density of bees on the crop and significantly increased yields. Besides, the oral administration of nonsugar compounds (NSC) naturally found in nectars (caffeine and arginine) improved short and long-term olfactory memory retention in conditioned bees under laboratory conditions. To test the effect of offering of SM-scented food supplemented with NSC on honeybees pollinating sunflower for hybrid seed production, in a commercial plantation we fed colonies SM-scented food (control), and SM-scented food supplemented with either caffeine, arginine, or a mixture of both, in field realistic concentrations. Their foraging activity was assessed at the hive and on the crop up to 90 h after treatment, and sunflower yield was estimated prior to harvest. Our field results show that SM + Mix-treated colonies exhibited the highest incoming rates and densities on the crop. Additionally, overall seed mass was significantly higher by 20% on inflorescences close to these colonies than control colonies. Such results suggest that combined NSC potentiate olfactory learning of a mimic floral odor inside the hive, promoting faster colony-level foraging responses and increasing crop production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Cecilia Estravis-Barcala
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Palottini
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina.,Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Walter M Farina
- Laboratorio de Insectos Sociales, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Buenos Aires, Argentina. .,Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Hempel de Ibarra N, Rands S. Pollination: Influencing bee behaviour with caffeine. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R1090-R1092. [PMID: 34582818 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.07.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Plant secondary metabolites found in floral nectar can affect the behaviour of pollinating insects, but how these changes benefit plants directly is little understood. An experimental study with bumblebees shows that recalling a caffeine-enhanced odour memory can increase flower visitation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sean Rands
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| |
Collapse
|