1
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Hunt BJ, Pegoraro M, Marshall H, Mallon EB. A role for DNA methylation in bumblebee morphogenesis hints at female-specific developmental erasure. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 33:481-492. [PMID: 38348493 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, are crucial factors in animal development. In some mammals, almost all DNA methylation is erased during embryo development and re-established in a sex- and cell-specific manner. This erasure and re-establishment is thought to primarily be a vertebrate-specific trait. Insects are particularly interesting in terms of development as many species often undergo remarkable morphological changes en route to maturity, that is, morphogenesis. However, little is known about the role of epigenetic mechanisms in this process across species. We have used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to track genome-wide DNA methylation changes through the development of an economically and environmentally important pollinator species, the bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera:Apidae Linnaeus). We find overall levels of DNA methylation vary throughout development, and we find developmentally relevant differentially methylated genes throughout. Intriguingly, we have identified a depletion of DNA methylation in ovaries/eggs and an enrichment of highly methylated genes in sperm. We suggest this could represent a sex-specific DNA methylation erasure event. To our knowledge, this is the first suggestion of possible developmental DNA methylation erasure in an insect species. This study lays the required groundwork for functional experimental work to determine if there is a causal nature to the DNA methylation differences identified. Additionally, the application of single-cell methylation sequencing to this system will enable more accurate identification of if or when DNA methylation is erased during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Hunt
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Mirko Pegoraro
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Hollie Marshall
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - Eamonn B Mallon
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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2
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Sepúlveda Y, Nicholls E, Schuett W, Goulson D. Heatwave-like events affect drone production and brood-care behaviour in bumblebees. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17135. [PMID: 38529302 PMCID: PMC10962346 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change is currently considered one of the major threats to biodiversity and is associated with an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. Heatwaves create acutely stressful conditions that may lead to disruption in the performance and survival of ecologically and economically important organisms, such as insect pollinators. In this study, we investigated the impact of simulated heatwaves on the performance of queenless microcolonies of Bombus terrestris audax under laboratory conditions. Our results indicate that heatwaves can have significant impacts on bumblebee performance. However, contrary to our expectations, exposure to heatwaves did not affect survival. Exposure to a mild 5-day heatwave (30-32 °C) resulted in increased offspring production compared to those exposed to an extreme heatwave (34-36 °C) and to the control group (24 °C). We also found that brood-care behaviours were impacted by the magnitude of the heatwave. Wing fanning occurred occasionally at temperatures of 30-32 °C, whereas at 34-36 °C the proportion of workers engaged in this thermoregulatory behaviour increased significantly. Our results provide insights into the effects of heatwaves on bumblebee colony performance and underscore the use of microcolonies as a valuable tool for studying the effects of extreme weather events. Future research, especially field-based studies replicating natural foraging conditions, is crucial to complement laboratory-based studies to comprehend how heatwaves compromise the performance of pollinators. Such studies may potentially help to identify those species more resilient to climate change, as well as those that are most vulnerable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanet Sepúlveda
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth Nicholls
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Wiebke Schuett
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Dave Goulson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom
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3
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Sepúlveda Y, Goulson D. Feeling the heat: Bumblebee workers show no acclimation capacity of upper thermal tolerance to simulated heatwaves. J Therm Biol 2023; 116:103672. [PMID: 37531893 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103672] [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] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is our most significant challenge in the 21st century and among the main drivers of biodiversity loss. Recent distributional shifts and declines in crucial pollinators, such as bumblebees, seem to be associated to this phenomenon. However, despite future climate projections on climate warming, few studies have assessed the ability of temperate bumblebees to acclimate to extreme weather events, such as heatwaves. This study estimates the upper critical thermal limits (Critical Thermal Maximum (CTmax) and Heat Coma Temperature (HCT)), of the bumblebee subspecies Bombus terrestris audax, and assesses whether CTmax increases following exposure to a simulated heatwave. The critical thermal maximum occurred between 48.9 and 52.7 °C, while the heat coma temperature varied between 50.7 and 53.4 °C. After measurement of HCT, around 23% of bees survived 24 h or longer, but coordination was never recovered. There was no significant association between upper critical thermal limits and body mass, which highlights the need to investigate other factors to comprehend the mechanisms behind thermal tolerance limits. Furthermore, the heatwave treatments had no significant effect on the CTmax of bumblebee workers, indicating no acclimation capacity of upper thermal tolerance to simulated heatwaves. Our study provides insights into the upper thermal tolerance limits of Bombus terrestris audax and reveals that exposure to heatwave-like events does not change the upper thermal tolerance of bees, highlighting the need to develop effective strategies that might enable them to cope with extreme weather events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanet Sepúlveda
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK.
| | - Dave Goulson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QG, UK
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4
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Gérard M, Cariou B, Henrion M, Descamps C, Baird E. Exposure to elevated temperature during development affects bumblebee foraging behavior. Behav Ecol 2022; 33:816-824. [PMID: 35812365 PMCID: PMC9262166 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arac045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bee foraging behavior provides a pollination service that has both ecological and economic benefits. However, bee population decline could directly affect the efficiency of this interaction. Among the drivers of this decline, global warming has been implicated as an emerging threat but exactly how increasing temperatures affect bee foraging behavior remains unexplored. Here, we assessed how exposure to elevated temperatures during development affects the foraging behavior and morphology of workers from commercial and wild Bombus terrestris colonies. Workers reared at 33 °C had a higher visiting rate and shorter visiting time than those reared at 27°C. In addition, far fewer workers reared at 33 °C engaged in foraging activities and this is potentially related to the drastic reduction in the number of individuals produced in colonies exposed to 33 °C. The impact of elevated developmental temperature on wild colonies was even stronger as none of the workers from these colonies performed any foraging trips. We also found that rearing temperature affected wing size and shape. Our results provide the first evidence that colony temperature can have striking effects on bumblebee foraging behavior. Of particular importance is the drastic reduction in the number of workers performing foraging trips, and the total number of foraging trips made by workers reared in high temperatures. Further studies should explore if, ultimately, these observed effects of exposure to elevated temperature during development lead to a reduction in pollination efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxence Gérard
- INSECT Lab, Division of Functional Morphology, Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bérénice Cariou
- INSECT Lab, Division of Functional Morphology, Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
- Sorbonne Université, Faculté des Sciences et Ingénierie, 5 place Jussieu, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Maxime Henrion
- INSECT Lab, Division of Functional Morphology, Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
- Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 15 parvis René Descartes, Lyon, France, and
| | - Charlotte Descamps
- Earth and Life Institute-Agrotnomy, UCLouvain, Croix du Sud 2, box L7.05.14, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Emily Baird
- INSECT Lab, Division of Functional Morphology, Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg 18b, 11418 Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Prado A, Brunet JL, Peruzzi M, Bonnet M, Bordier C, Crauser D, Le Conte Y, Alaux C. Warmer winters are associated with lower levels of the cryoprotectant glycerol, a slower decrease in vitellogenin expression and reduced virus infections in winter honeybees. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 136:104348. [PMID: 34906562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Within the context of climate change, winter temperatures at high latitudes are predicted to rise faster than summer temperatures. This phenomenon is expected to negatively affect the diapause performance and survival of insects, since they largely rely on low temperatures to lower their metabolism and preserve energy. However, some insects like honeybees, remain relatively active during the winter and elevate their metabolic rate to produce endothermic heat when temperatures drop. Warming winters are thus expected to improve overwintering performance of honeybees. In order to verify this hypothesis, for two consecutive years, we exposed honeybee colonies to either a mild or cold winter. We then monitored the influence of wintering conditions on several parameters of honeybee overwintering physiology, such as levels of the cryoprotectant glycerol, expression levels of immune and antioxidant genes, and genes encoding multifunctional proteins, including vitellogenin, which promotes bee longevity. Winter conditions had no effect on the expression of antioxidant genes, and genes related to immunity were not consistently affected. However, mild winters were consistently associated with a lower investment in glycerol synthesis and a higher expression of fat body genes, especially apidaecin and vitellogenin. Finally, while we found that viral loads generally decreased through the winter, this trend was more pronounced under mild winter conditions. In conclusion, and without considering how warming temperatures might affect other aspects of honeybee biology before overwintering, our data suggest that warming temperatures will likely benefit honeybee vitality by notably reducing their viral loads over the winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Prado
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM Querétaro, Mexico
| | | | | | - Marc Bonnet
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Celia Bordier
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | | | - Yves Le Conte
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Cedric Alaux
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France.
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6
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Zaragoza‐Trello C, Vilà M, Botías C, Bartomeus I. Interactions among global change pressures act in a non‐additive way on bumblebee individuals and colonies. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Montserrat Vilà
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD‐CSIC) Sevilla Spain
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology University of Seville Seville Spain
| | - Cristina Botías
- Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD‐CSIC) Sevilla Spain
- Bee Pathology Laboratory Centro de Investigación Apícola y Agroambiental (CIAPA‐IRIAF)Junta de Comunidades de Castilla‐La Mancha Marchamalo Spain
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7
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Crall JD, Switzer CM, Oppenheimer RL, Ford Versypt AN, Dey B, Brown A, Eyster M, Guérin C, Pierce NE, Combes SA, de Bivort BL. Neonicotinoid exposure disrupts bumblebee nest behavior, social networks, and thermoregulation. Science 2018; 362:683-686. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aat1598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Neonicotinoid pesticides can negatively affect bee colonies, but the behavioral mechanisms by which these compounds impair colony growth remain unclear. Here, we investigate imidacloprid’s effects on bumblebee worker behavior within the nest, using an automated, robotic platform for continuous, multicolony monitoring of uniquely identified workers. We find that exposure to field-realistic levels of imidacloprid impairs nursing and alters social and spatial dynamics within nests, but that these effects vary substantially with time of day. In the field, imidacloprid impairs colony thermoregulation, including the construction of an insulating wax canopy. Our results show that neonicotinoids induce widespread disruption of within-nest worker behavior that may contribute to impaired growth, highlighting the potential of automated techniques for characterizing the multifaceted, dynamic impacts of stressors on behavior in bee colonies.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D. Crall
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Planetary Health Alliance, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Callin M. Switzer
- eScience Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Ashlee N. Ford Versypt
- School of Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
- Interdisciplinary Toxicology Program, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA
| | - Biswadip Dey
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Andrea Brown
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mackay Eyster
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Claire Guérin
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Naomi E. Pierce
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stacey A. Combes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Benjamin L. de Bivort
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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8
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Colin T, Bruce J, Meikle WG, Barron AB. The development of honey bee colonies assessed using a new semi-automated brood counting method: CombCount. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205816. [PMID: 30325960 PMCID: PMC6191133 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Precise, objective data on brood and honey levels in honey bee colonies can be obtained through the analysis of hive frame photographs. However, accurate analysis of all the frame photographs from medium- to large-scale experiments is time-consuming. This limits the number of hives than can be practically included in honeybee studies. Faster estimation methods exist but they significantly decrease precision and their use requires a larger sample size to maintain statistical power. To resolve this issue, we created 'CombCount' a python program that automatically detects uncapped cells to speed up measurements of capped brood and capped honey on photos of frames. CombCount does not require programming skills, it was designed to facilitate colony-level research in honeybees and to provide a fast, free, and accurate alternative to older methods based on visual estimations. Six observers measured the same photos of thirty different frames both with CombCount and by manually outlining the entire capped areas with ImageJ. The results obtained were highly similar between both the observers and the two methods, but measurements with CombCount were 3.2 times faster than with ImageJ (4 and 13 min per side of the frame, respectively) and all observers were faster when using CombCount rather than ImageJ. CombCount was used to measure the proportions of capped brood and capped honey on each frame of 16 hives over a year as they developed from packages to full-size colonies over about 60 days. Our data describe the formation of brood and honey stores during the establishment of a new colony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théotime Colin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jake Bruce
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia
| | - William G. Meikle
- Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, USDA-ARS, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Andrew B. Barron
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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9
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Dew RM, Shell WA, Rehan SM. Changes in maternal investment with climate moderate social behaviour in a facultatively social bee. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2488-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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10
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Blacher P, Huggins TJ, Bourke AFG. Evolution of ageing, costs of reproduction and the fecundity-longevity trade-off in eusocial insects. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.0380. [PMID: 28701554 PMCID: PMC5524490 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Eusocial insects provide special opportunities to elucidate the evolution of ageing as queens have apparently evaded costs of reproduction and reversed the fecundity–longevity trade-off generally observed in non-social organisms. But how reproduction affects longevity in eusocial insects has rarely been tested experimentally. In this study, we took advantage of the reproductive plasticity of workers to test the causal role of reproduction in determining longevity in eusocial insects. Using the eusocial bumblebee Bombus terrestris, we found that, in whole colonies, in which workers could freely ‘choose’ whether to become reproductive, workers' level of ovarian activation was significantly positively associated with longevity and ovary-active workers significantly outlived ovary-inactive workers. By contrast, when reproductivity was experimentally induced in randomly selected workers, thereby decoupling it from other traits, workers' level of ovarian activation was significantly negatively associated with longevity and ovary-active workers were significantly less long-lived than ovary-inactive workers. These findings show that workers experience costs of reproduction and suggest that intrinsically high-quality individuals can overcome these costs. They also raise the possibility that eusocial insect queens exhibit condition-dependent longevity and hence call into question whether eusociality entails a truly reversed fecundity–longevity trade-off involving a fundamental remodelling of conserved genetic and endocrine networks underpinning ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Blacher
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Timothy J Huggins
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Andrew F G Bourke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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11
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Laughton AM, O'Connor CO, Knell RJ. Responses to a warming world: Integrating life history, immune investment, and pathogen resistance in a model insect species. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:9699-9710. [PMID: 29188001 PMCID: PMC5696387 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2017] [Revised: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental temperature has important effects on the physiology and life history of ectothermic animals, including investment in the immune system and the infectious capacity of pathogens. Numerous studies have examined individual components of these complex systems, but little is known about how they integrate when animals are exposed to different temperatures. Here, we use the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) to understand how immune investment and disease resistance react and potentially trade‐off with other life‐history traits. We recorded life‐history (development time, survival, fecundity, and body size) and immunity (hemocyte counts, phenoloxidase activity) measures and tested resistance to bacterial (E. coli) and viral (Plodia interpunctella granulosis virus) infection at five temperatures (20–30°C). While development time, lifespan, and size decreased with temperature as expected, moths exhibited different reproductive strategies in response to small changes in temperature. At cooler temperatures, oviposition rates were low but tended to increase toward the end of life, whereas warmer temperatures promoted initially high oviposition rates that rapidly declined after the first few days of adult life. Although warmer temperatures were associated with strong investment in early reproduction, there was no evidence of an associated trade‐off with immune investment. Phenoloxidase activity increased most at cooler temperatures before plateauing, while hemocyte counts increased linearly with temperature. Resistance to bacterial challenge displayed a complex pattern, whereas survival after a viral challenge increased with rearing temperature. These results demonstrate that different immune system components and different pathogens can respond in distinct ways to changes in temperature. Overall, these data highlight the scope for significant changes in immunity, disease resistance, and host–parasite population dynamics to arise from small, biologically relevant changes to environmental temperature. In light of global warming, understanding these complex interactions is vital for predicting the potential impact of insect disease vectors and crop pests on public health and food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice M Laughton
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Cian O O'Connor
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Robert J Knell
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
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12
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Ogilvie JE, Griffin SR, Gezon ZJ, Inouye BD, Underwood N, Inouye DW, Irwin RE. Interannual bumble bee abundance is driven by indirect climate effects on floral resource phenology. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:1507-1515. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 05/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jane E. Ogilvie
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Department of Biological Science Florida State University 319 Stadium Drive Tallahassee FL32306 USA
| | - Sean R. Griffin
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Department of Applied Ecology North Carolina State University 127 David Clark Labs Raleigh NC27695 USA
| | - Zachariah J. Gezon
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Animal Programs Administration PO Box 10000 Lake Buena Vista FL32830 USA
- Department of Biology Rollins College 1000 Holt Avenue, Winter Park FL32789 USA
| | - Brian D. Inouye
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Department of Biological Science Florida State University 319 Stadium Drive Tallahassee FL32306 USA
| | - Nora Underwood
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Department of Biological Science Florida State University 319 Stadium Drive Tallahassee FL32306 USA
| | - David W. Inouye
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland College Park MD20742 USA
| | - Rebecca E. Irwin
- The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Post Office Box 519 Crested Butte Colorado81224 USA
- Department of Applied Ecology North Carolina State University 127 David Clark Labs Raleigh NC27695 USA
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13
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Crone EE, Williams NM. Bumble bee colony dynamics: quantifying the importance of land use and floral resources for colony growth and queen production. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:460-8. [PMID: 26913696 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Bumble bee (Bombus) species are ecologically and economically important pollinators, and many species are in decline. In this article, we develop a mechanistic model to analyse growth trajectories of Bombus vosnesenskii colonies in relation to floral resources and land use. Queen production increased with floral resources and was higher in semi-natural areas than on conventional farms. However, the most important parameter for queen production was the colony growth rate per flower, as opposed to the average number of available flowers. This result indicates the importance of understanding mechanisms of colony growth, in order to predict queen production and enhance bumble bee population viability. Our work highlights the importance of interpreting bumble bee conservation efforts in the context of overall population dynamics and provides a framework for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Neal M Williams
- Entomology Department, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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14
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Lockett GA, Almond EJ, Huggins TJ, Parker JD, Bourke AFG. Gene expression differences in relation to age and social environment in queen and worker bumble bees. Exp Gerontol 2016; 77:52-61. [PMID: 26883339 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2016.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Revised: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Eusocial insects provide special insights into the genetic pathways influencing aging because of their long-lived queens and flexible aging schedules. Using qRT-PCR in the primitively eusocial bumble bee Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus), we investigated expression levels of four candidate genes associated with taxonomically widespread age-related pathways (coenzyme Q biosynthesis protein 7, COQ7; DNA methyltransferase 3, Dnmt3; foraging, for; and vitellogenin, vg). In Experiment 1, we tested how expression changes with queen relative age and productivity. We found a significant age-related increase in COQ7 expression in queen ovary. In brain, all four genes showed higher expression with increasing female (queen plus worker) production, with this relationship strengthening as queen age increased, suggesting a link with the positive association of fecundity and longevity found in eusocial insect queens. In Experiment 2, we tested effects of relative age and social environment (worker removal) in foundress queens and effects of age and reproductive status in workers. In this experiment, workerless queens showed significantly higher for expression in brain, as predicted if downregulation of for is associated with the cessation of foraging by foundress queens following worker emergence. Workers showed a significant age-related increase in Dnmt3 expression in fat body, suggesting a novel association between aging and methylation in B. terrestris. Ovary activation was associated with significantly higher vg expression in fat body and, in younger workers, in brain, consistent with vitellogenin's ancestral role in regulating egg production. Overall, our findings reveal a mixture of novel and conserved features in age-related genetic pathways under primitive eusociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle A Lockett
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Life Sciences Building, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Edward J Almond
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Timothy J Huggins
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Joel D Parker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Life Sciences Building, Highfield Campus, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Andrew F G Bourke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.
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