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MacPhail VJ, Hatfield R, Colla SR. Bumble Bee Watch community science program increases scientific understanding of an important pollinator group across Canada and the USA. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303335. [PMID: 38776282 PMCID: PMC11111064 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In a time of increasing threats to bumble bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus), it is important to understand their ecology and distribution. As experts are limited in resources to conduct field surveys, there is potential for community scientists to help. The Bumble Bee Watch (BBW) community science program involves volunteers taking photos of bumble bees in Canada and the USA and submitting them, along with geographic and optional plant information, to a website or through an app. Taxon experts then verify the bee species identification. The Bumble Bees of North America database (BBNA) stores data (no photographs) collected and identified by more traditional scientific methods over the same range. Here we compared BBW data to BBNA data over all years and just 2010-2020 to understand the scientific contribution of community scientists to the state of the knowledge about native bumble bees. We found that BBW had similar geographic and species coverage as BBNA. It had records from all 63 provinces, states, and territories where bumble bees occur (including four more than BBNA in 2010-2020), and represented 41 of the 48 species in BBNA (with ten more species than BBNA in 2010-2020). While BBW contributed only 8.50% of records overall, it contributed 25.06% of all records over 2010-2020. BBW confirmed the persistence of species and identified new locations of species, both inside and outside of the previously known extent of occurrences. BBW also contributed a wealth of ecological information, such as unique plant genera and species data for almost all the bee species. Thus, while BBW had fewer bee records than the BBNA database overall, it helped to fill in data gaps and provided novel information, complementing the traditional methods. This community science program is valuable in helping to inform conservation management for bumble bee species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria J MacPhail
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard Hatfield
- The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, Oregan, United States of America
| | - Sheila R Colla
- Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Weber S, Stothut M, Mahla L, Kripp A, Hirschler L, Lenz N, Junker A, Künzel S, Krehenwinkel H. Plant-derived environmental DNA complements diversity estimates from traditional arthropod monitoring methods but outperforms them detecting plant-arthropod interactions. Mol Ecol Resour 2024; 24:e13900. [PMID: 38010630 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13900] [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: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Our limited knowledge about the ecological drivers of global arthropod decline highlights the urgent need for more effective biodiversity monitoring approaches. Monitoring of arthropods is commonly performed using passive trapping devices, which reliably recover diverse communities, but provide little ecological information on the sampled taxa. Especially the manifold interactions of arthropods with plants are barely understood. A promising strategy to overcome this shortfall is environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding from plant material on which arthropods leave DNA traces through direct or indirect interactions. However, the accuracy of this approach has not been sufficiently tested. In four experiments, we exhaustively test the comparative performance of plant-derived eDNA from surface washes of plants and homogenized plant material against traditional monitoring approaches. We show that the recovered communities of plant-derived eDNA and traditional approaches only partly overlap, with eDNA recovering various additional taxa. This suggests eDNA as a useful complementary tool to traditional monitoring. Despite the differences in recovered taxa, estimates of community α- and β-diversity between both approaches are well correlated, highlighting the utility of eDNA as a broad scale tool for community monitoring. Last, eDNA outperforms traditional approaches in the recovery of plant-specific arthropod communities. Unlike traditional monitoring, eDNA revealed fine-scale community differentiation between individual plants and even within plant compartments. Especially specialized herbivores are better recovered with eDNA. Our results highlight the value of plant-derived eDNA analysis for large-scale biodiversity assessments that include information about community-level interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Weber
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Manuel Stothut
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Lisa Mahla
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Alanah Kripp
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau in der Pfalz, Germany
| | - Lena Hirschler
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Nina Lenz
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Anneke Junker
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | - Sven Künzel
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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3
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DesJardins NS, Macias J, Soto Soto D, Harrison JF, Smith BH. 'Inert' co-formulants of a fungicide mediate acute effects on honey bee learning performance. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19458. [PMID: 37945797 PMCID: PMC10636155 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46948-6] [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: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Managed honey bees have experienced high rates of colony loss recently, with pesticide exposure as a major cause. While pesticides can be lethal at high doses, lower doses can produce sublethal effects, which may substantially weaken colonies. Impaired learning performance is a behavioral sublethal effect, and is often present in bees exposed to insecticides. However, the effects of other pesticides (such as fungicides) on honey bee learning are understudied, as are the effects of pesticide formulations versus active ingredients. Here, we investigated the effects of acute exposure to the fungicide formulation Pristine (active ingredients: 25.2% boscalid, 12.8% pyraclostrobin) on honey bee olfactory learning performance in the proboscis extension reflex (PER) assay. We also exposed a subset of bees to only the active ingredients to test which formulation component(s) were driving the learning effects. We found that the formulation produced negative effects on memory, but this effect was not present in bees fed only boscalid and pyraclostrobin. This suggests that the trade secret "other ingredients" in the formulation mediated the learning effects, either through exerting their own toxic effects or by increasing the toxicities of the active ingredients. These results show that pesticide co-formulants should not be assumed inert and should instead be included when assessing pesticide risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jessalynn Macias
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | | | - Jon F Harrison
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Brian H Smith
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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4
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Willcox BK, Potts SG, Brown MJF, Alix A, Al Naggar Y, Chauzat MP, Costa C, Gekière A, Hartfield C, Hatjina F, Knapp JL, Martínez-López V, Maus C, Metodiev T, Nazzi F, Osterman J, Raimets R, Strobl V, Van Oystaeyen A, Wintermantel D, Yovcheva N, Senapathi D. Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18099. [PMID: 37872212 PMCID: PMC10593766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45279-w] [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: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Managed bee species provide essential pollination services that contribute to food security worldwide. However, managed bees face a diverse array of threats and anticipating these, and potential opportunities to reduce risks, is essential for the sustainable management of pollination services. We conducted a horizon scanning exercise with 20 experts from across Europe to identify emerging threats and opportunities for managed bees in European agricultural systems. An initial 63 issues were identified, and this was shortlisted to 21 issues through the horizon scanning process. These ranged from local landscape-level management to geopolitical issues on a continental and global scale across seven broad themes-Pesticides & pollutants, Technology, Management practices, Predators & parasites, Environmental stressors, Crop modification, and Political & trade influences. While we conducted this horizon scan within a European context, the opportunities and threats identified will likely be relevant to other regions. A renewed research and policy focus, especially on the highest-ranking issues, is required to maximise the value of these opportunities and mitigate threats to maintain sustainable and healthy managed bee pollinators within agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryony K Willcox
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK.
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Anne Alix
- Corteva Agriscience, Regulatory and Stewardship Europe, Middle East and Africa, Abingdon, UK
| | - Yahya Al Naggar
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
- Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, 61413, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marie-Pierre Chauzat
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Cecilia Costa
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antoine Gekière
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Chris Hartfield
- National Farmers' Union, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ, UK
| | - Fani Hatjina
- Department of Apiculture, Institute of Animal Science, ELGO 'DIMITRA', 63200, Nea Moudania, Greece
| | - Jessica L Knapp
- Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Vicente Martínez-López
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | | | | | - Francesco Nazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Julia Osterman
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Risto Raimets
- Department of Plant Protection, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Verena Strobl
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Dimitry Wintermantel
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Deepa Senapathi
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
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Castelli L, Branchiccela B, Zunino P, Antúnez K. Insights into the effects of sublethal doses of pesticides glufosinate-ammonium and sulfoxaflor on honey bee health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161331. [PMID: 36623662 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.161331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Insect pollinators are threatened worldwide, being the exposure to multiple pesticides one of the most important stressor. The herbicide Glyphosate and the insecticide Imidacloprid are among the most used pesticides worldwide, although different studies evidenced their detrimental effects on non-target organisms. The emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds and the recent ban of imidacloprid in Europe due to safety concerns, has prompted their replacement by new molecules, such as glufosinate-ammonium (GA) and sulfoxaflor (S). GA is a broad-spectrum and non-selective herbicide that inhibits a key enzyme in the metabolism of nitrogen, causing accumulation of lethal levels of ammonia; while sulfoxaflor is an agonist at insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and generates excitatory responses including tremors, paralysis and mortality. Although those molecules are being increasingly used for crop protection, little is known about their effects on non-target organisms. In this study we assessed the impact of chronic and acute exposure to sublethal doses of GA and S on honey bee gut microbiota, immunity and survival. We found GA significantly reduced the number of gut bacteria, and decreased the expression of glucose oxidase, a marker of social immunity. On the other hand, S significantly increased the number of gut bacteria altering the microbiota composition, decreased the expression of lysozyme and increased the expression of hymenoptaecin. These alterations in gut microbiota and immunocompetence may lead to an increased susceptibility to pathogens. Finally, both pesticides shortened honey bee survival and increased the risk of death. Those results evidence the negative impact of GA and S on honey bees, even at single exposition to a low dose, and provide useful information to the understanding of pollinators decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loreley Castelli
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Salud de las Abejas, Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Belén Branchiccela
- Sección Apicultura, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Colonia 70006, Uruguay
| | - Pablo Zunino
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Salud de las Abejas, Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
| | - Karina Antúnez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología y Salud de las Abejas, Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable (IIBCE), Avda. Italia 3318, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay.
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Tavares Brancher KP, Graf LV, Heringer G, Zenni RD. Urbanization and abundance of floral resources affect bee communities in medium‐sized neotropical cities. AUSTRAL ECOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Karla Palmieri Tavares Brancher
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
- Federal Institute of Southern Minas Gerais ‐ Machado Campus Machado Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Letícia Vanessa Graf
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences (Entomology) Federal University of Paraná Curitiba Paraná Brazil
| | - Gustavo Heringer
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
| | - Rafael Dudeque Zenni
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia Aplicada Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal de Lavras Lavras Minas Gerais Brazil
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7
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The Role of Uncultivated Habitats in Supporting Wild Bee Communities in Mediterranean Agricultural Landscapes. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15020294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
In agricultural landscapes, uncultivated habitat patches may have a focal role in supporting communities of ecosystem service providers. However, little is known on the variances among different types of uncultivated habitat patches in providing resources and maintaining populations of these beneficial organisms. We studied wild bee communities in natural and semi-natural uncultivated patches embedded in semi-arid Mediterranean agricultural landscapes. We investigated the effects of local- and landscape-scale land-use characteristics, as well as their interactions, on bee diversity, functional composition, and forage and nesting resources. Most bee community parameters were affected by both local- and landscape-scale characteristics, but no significant interactions were found among the scales. Local land-use effects were related primarily to overall plant cover, and to the abundance and richness of flowering plants. Landscape effects, mostly limited to a 400 m range, were varied. The abundance of focal crop pollinators varied considerably between patch type and pollinator species. The different types of uncultivated habitats maintain complementary bee and flower communities. Our findings show the important role of uncultivated habitat patches in providing floral and nesting resources for bees, and creating resource-landscapes that can support wild bee communities and crop pollination services in Mediterranean agricultural landscapes.
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Cheng S, Dai P, Li R, Chen Z, Liang P, Xie X, Zhen C, Gao X. The sulfoximine insecticide sulfoxaflor exposure reduces the survival status and disrupts the intestinal metabolism of the honeybee Apis mellifera. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 442:130109. [PMID: 36303336 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are indispensable pollinators in agricultural production, biodiversity conservation, and nutrients provision. The abundance and diversity of honeybees have been rapidly diminishing, possibly related to the extensive use of insecticides in ecosystems. Sulfoxaflor is a novel sulfoximine insecticide that, like neonicotinoids, acts as a competitive modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) in insects. However, few studies have addressed the negative effects of sulfoxaflor on honeybees at environmentally relevant concentrations. In the present study, adult workers were fed a 50% (w/v) of sugar solution containing different concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.5 and 2.0 mg/L) of sulfoxaflor for two weeks consecutively. The survival rates, food intake, and body weight of the honeybees significantly decreased after continuous exposure at higher doses (0.5 and 2.0 mg/L) of sulfoxaflor when compared with the control. The change in the metabolites in the honeybee gut was determined using high-throughput non-targeted metabolomics on day 14 after sulfoxaflor treatment. The results revealed that 24 and 105 metabolites changed after exposure to 0.5 and 2.0 mg/L sulfoxaflor, respectively, compared with that of the control groups. A total of 12 changed compounds including pregenolone and glutathione were detected as potential biomarkers, which were eventually found to be enriched in pathways of the steroid hormone biosynthesis (p = 0.0001) and glutathione metabolism (p = 0.021). These findings provide a new perspective on the physiological influence of sulfoxaflor stress in honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenhang Cheng
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Pingli Dai
- Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, PR China
| | - Ren Li
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Zhibin Chen
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Pingzhuo Liang
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Xie
- Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Congai Zhen
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Xiwu Gao
- Department of Entomology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, PR China.
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9
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Biology, Genetic Diversity, and Conservation of Wild Bees in Tree Fruit Orchards. BIOLOGY 2022; 12:biology12010031. [PMID: 36671724 PMCID: PMC9854918 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Different species of bees provide essential ecosystem services by pollinating various agricultural crops, including tree fruits. Many fruits and nuts depend on insect pollination, primarily by wild and managed bees. In different geographical regions where orchard crops are grown, fruit growers rely on wild bees in the farmscape and use orchard bees as alternative pollinators. Orchard crops such as apples, pears, plums, apricots, etc., are mass-flowering crops and attract many different bee species during their bloom period. Many bee species found in orchards emerge from overwintering as the fruit trees start flowering in spring, and the active duration of these bees aligns very closely with the blooming time of fruit trees. In addition, most of the bees in orchards are short-range foragers and tend to stay close to the fruit crops. However, the importance of orchard bee communities is not well understood, and many challenges in maintaining their populations remain. This comprehensive review paper summarizes the different types of bees commonly found in tree fruit orchards in the fruit-growing regions of the United States, their bio-ecology, and genetic diversity. Additionally, recommendations for the management of orchard bees, different strategies for protecting them from multiple stressors, and providing suitable on-farm nesting and floral resource habitats for propagation and conservation are discussed.
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10
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Azpiazu C, Bosch J, Martins C, Sgolastra F. Effects of chronic exposure to the new insecticide sulfoxaflor in combination with a SDHI fungicide in a solitary bee. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 850:157822. [PMID: 35931165 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157822] [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] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The recent EU ban of the three most widely used neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin) to all outdoors applications has stimulated the introduction of new insecticides into the market. Sulfoxaflor is a new systemic insecticide that, like neonicotinoids, acts as a modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In agro-environments, bees can be exposed to this compound via contaminated pollen and nectar for long periods of time. Therefore, it is important to assess the potential effects of chronic exposure to sulfoxaflor, alone and in combination with fungicides, on pollinators. In this study, we tested the effects of chronic exposure to two field concentrations of sulfoxaflor (20 and 100 ppb) alone and in combination with four concentrations of the fungicide fluxapyroxad (7500, 15,000, 30,000 and 60,000 ppb) on syrup consumption and longevity in females of the solitary bee Osmia bicornis L. Exposure to 20 ppb of sulfoxaflor, alone and in combination with the fungicide, stimulated syrup consumption, but did not affect longevity. In contrast, syrup consumption decreased in bees exposed to 100 ppb, all of which died after 2-6 days of exposure. We found no evidence of synergism between the two compounds at any of the two sulfoxaflor concentrations tested. Comparison of our findings with the literature, confirms that O. bicornis is more sensitive to sulfoxaflor than honey bees. Our results highlight the need to include different bee species in risk assessment schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Azpiazu
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, viale Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy; CREAF, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC- Universitat Pompeu Fabra), 08034 Barcelona, Spain; Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jordi Bosch
- CREAF, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Cátia Martins
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, viale Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Fabio Sgolastra
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, viale Fanin 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy
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11
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Gekière A, Michez D, Vanderplanck M. Bumble Bee Breeding on Artificial Pollen Substitutes. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 115:1423-1431. [PMID: 36000563 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toac126] [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] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bumble bees are important pollinators for many temperate crops. Because of the growing demand for food from entomophilous crops, bumble bee colonies are commercially reared and placed in fields or greenhouses to guarantee sufficient pollination services. Besides, commercial colonies are increasingly used in laboratories for various bioassays under controlled conditions. For both usages, bumble bee colonies are commonly provided with sugar solution and honey bee-collected pollen pellets. However, the latter display several disadvantages since they may contain pollutants, pathogens, or toxic phytochemicals. Consequently, companies have developed pollen-free artificial diets to sustain colonies. Such diets are designed to boost worker health in the field, in complement of floral pollen collected by workers outside the colonies, but their suitability in 'closed' systems without access to floral pollen, such as in laboratory bioassays, is arguable. Here, we used microcolonies of the commercially important bumble bee Bombus terrestris L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to assess the suitability of five artificial pollen substitutes and three mixed diets. We also assessed the evaporation rate of the different diets as it could impact their suitability. At the end of the bioassays, microcolonies fed the artificial diets showed a reduced offspring development when compared to microcolonies fed natural pollen, which was partly offset by mixing these diets with natural pollen. By contrast, the artificial diets did not have deleterious effects on worker's health. We discuss the potential nutritional and physical causes of artificial diets unsuitability for offspring development and encourage further research to accordingly establish appropriate pollen-free diets for bumble bee breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gekière
- Laboratory de Zoology, Research institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Denis Michez
- Laboratory de Zoology, Research institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
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12
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Capela N, Sarmento A, Simões S, Azevedo-Pereira HMVS, Sousa JP. Sub-lethal doses of sulfoxaflor impair honey bee homing ability. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 837:155710. [PMID: 35526620 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural intensification has increased the number of stressors that pollinators are exposed to. Besides increasing landscape fragmentation that limit the supply of flower resources, intensive agricultural practices relying on the use of pesticides to control agricultural pests also affect non-target organisms like honey bees. The use of most pesticides containing neonicotinoids has been severely restricted in the European Union, leaving pesticides containing acetamiprid as the only ones that are still authorized. In the meantime, new substances like sulfoxaflor, that have a similar mode of action acting on the insect's nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR), have been approved for agricultural use. In Europe and USA, the use of pesticides containing this active ingredient is limited due to toxic effects already reported on bees, but no restrictions regarding this matter were applied in other countries (e.g., Brazil). In this study, homing ability tests with acetamiprid and sulfoxaflor were performed, in which honey bees were fed with three sub-lethal doses from each substance. After exposure, each honey bee was equipped with an RFID chip and released 1 km away from the colony to evaluate their homing ability. No significant effects were detected in honey bees fed with 32, 48 and 61 ng of acetamiprid while a poor performance on their homing ability, with only 28% of them reaching the colony instead of 75%, was detected at a 26 ng/a.s./bee dose of sulfoxaflor. Although, both pesticides act on the nAChR, the higher sulfoxaflor toxicity might be related with the honey bees detoxifying mechanisms, which are more effective on cyano-based neonicotinoids (i.e., acetamiprid) than sulfoximines. With this study we encourage the use of homing ability tests to be a suitable candidate to integrate the future risk assessment scheme, providing valuable data to models predicting effects on colony health that emerge from the individual actions of each bee.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuno Capela
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Associated Laboratory TERRA, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - Artur Sarmento
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Associated Laboratory TERRA, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sandra Simões
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Associated Laboratory TERRA, University of Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Henrique M V S Azevedo-Pereira
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Associated Laboratory TERRA, University of Coimbra, Portugal; ForestWISE - Collaborative Laboratory for Integrated Forest & Fire Management, Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
| | - José Paulo Sousa
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, Associated Laboratory TERRA, University of Coimbra, Portugal
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13
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Siviter H, Muth F. Exposure to the novel insecticide flupyradifurone impairs bumblebee feeding motivation, learning, and memory retention. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 307:119575. [PMID: 35691445 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bees are vital pollinators of crops and wildflowers and as such, wild bee declines threaten food security and functioning ecosystems. One driver of bee declines is the use of systemic insecticides, such as commonly used neonicotinoids. However, rising pest resistance to neonicotinoids, and restrictions on their use in the EU, has increased the demand for replacement insecticides to control crop pests. Flupyradifurone is a novel systemic insecticide that is thought to be relatively 'bee safe' although it can be present in the nectar and pollen of bee-attractive crops. Bumblebees rely on learning to forage efficiently, and thus detriments to learning performance may have downstream consequences on their ability to forage. While neonicotinoids negatively influence bumblebee learning and memory, whether this is also the case for their replacements is unclear. Here, we exposed bumblebees (Bombus impatiens) to an acute, field-realistic dose of flupyradifurone before training them to learn either an olfactory or colour association. We found that flupyradifurone impaired bumblebees' learning and memory performance in both olfactory and visual modalities. Flupyradifurone-treated bees were also less motivated to feed. Given the similarity between the detriments to cognition found here and those previously reported for neonicotinoids, this implies that these insecticides may have similar sub-lethal effects on bees. Restrictions on neonicotinoid use are therefore unlikely to benefit bees if novel insecticides like flupyradifurone are used as an alternative, highlighting that current agrochemical risk assessments are not protecting bees from the unwanted consequences of pesticide use. Sub-lethal assessments on non-Apis bees should be made mandatory in agrochemical regulation to ensure that novel insecticides are indeed 'bee safe'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Felicity Muth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
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14
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Straub L, Strobl V, Yañez O, Albrecht M, Brown MJ, Neumann P. Do pesticide and pathogen interactions drive wild bee declines? Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 18:232-243. [PMID: 35800107 PMCID: PMC9253050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There is clear evidence for wild insect declines globally. Habitat loss, climate change, pests, pathogens and environmental pollution have all been shown to cause detrimental effects on insects. However, interactive effects between these stressors may be the key to understanding reported declines. Here, we review the literature on pesticide and pathogen interactions for wild bees, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research fostering mitigation of the observed declines. The limited studies available suggest that effects of pesticides most likely override effects of pathogens. Bees feeding on flowers and building sheltered nests, are likely less adapted to toxins compared to other insects, which potential susceptibility is enhanced by the reduced number of genes encoding detoxifying enzymes compared with other insect species. However, to date all 10 studies using a fully-crossed design have been conducted in the laboratory on social bees using Crithidia spp. or Nosema spp., identifying an urgent need to test solitary bees and other pathogens. Similarly, since laboratory studies do not necessarily reflect field conditions, semi-field and field studies are essential if we are to understand these interactions and their potential effects in the real-world. In conclusion, there is a clear need for empirical (semi-)field studies on a range of pesticides, pathogens, and insect species to better understand the pathways and mechanisms underlying their potential interactions, in particular their relevance for insect fitness and population dynamics. Such data are indispensable to drive forward robust modelling of interactive effects in different environmental settings and foster predictive science. This will enable pesticide and pathogen interactions to be put into the context of other stressors more broadly, evaluating their relative importance in driving the observed declines of wild bees and other insects. Ultimately, this will enable the development of more effective mitigation measures to protect bees and the ecosystem services they supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Straub
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Verena Strobl
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Orlando Yañez
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Mark J.F. Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Bee Research Centre, Agroscope, Bern, Switzerland
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15
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Shi T, Meng L, Jiang X, Cao H, Yu L. Proteome analysis reveals the molecular basis of honeybee brain and midgut response to sulfoxaflor. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 186:105168. [PMID: 35973773 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2022.105168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sulfoxaflor is a widely used pesticide in agriculture. However, the molecular effects of sublethal sulfoxaflor on honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) remain elusive. Here, the effects of a sublethal dose of sulfoxaflor (0.05 μg/bee) on the brain and midgut proteome response of the honeybee were investigated. Exposure to sublethal sulfoxaflor doses did not cause significant honeybee death, but it induced significant alterations in the brain and midgut proteomes. After sulfoxaflor challenge, 135 and 28 proteins were differentially regulated in the brain and midgut, respectively. The up-regulated proteins were mainly implicated in energy metabolism, neurotransmitter transport and drug metabolism processes, and included in particular enzymes of the citrate cycle and cellular respiration process, such as ATP citrate synthase, malate dehydrogenase, cytochrome b-c1 complex subunits, and NADH dehydrogenase. These findings suggest that honeybees enhance energy metabolism in the midgut and brain to resist sulfoxaflor challenge. Notably, treatment with sulfoxaflor resulted in a 6.8 times increase in expression levels of the major royal jelly protein 1 (MRJP1) in the brain, and knockdown of MRJP1 mRNA expression using RNA interference significantly decreased the survival rate, indicating that MRJP1 may play an important role in sulfoxaflor tolerance. Our data reveals that sulfoxaflor influences multiple processes related to both metabolism and the nervous system, and provides novel insights into the molecular basis of the honeybee brain and midgut response to sublethal dose of sulfoxaflor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Shi
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Apiculture Research Institute, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
| | - Lifeng Meng
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xingchuan Jiang
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Haiqun Cao
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Linsheng Yu
- School of Plant Protection, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Crop Integrated Pest Management, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; Apiculture Research Institute, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China.
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16
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Schwarz JM, Knauer AC, Allan MJ, Dean RR, Ghazoul J, Tamburini G, Wintermantel D, Klein AM, Albrecht M. No evidence for impaired solitary bee fitness following pre-flowering sulfoxaflor application alone or in combination with a common fungicide in a semi-field experiment. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 164:107252. [PMID: 35483184 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pesticide exposure is considered a major driver of pollinator decline and the use of neonicotinoid insecticides has been restricted by regulatory authorities due to their risks for pollinators. Impacts of new alternative sulfoximine-based compounds on solitary bees and their potential interactive effects with other commonly applied pesticides in agriculture remain unclear. Here, we conducted a highly replicated full-factorial semi-field experiment with the solitary bee Osmia bicornis, an important pollinator of crops and wild plants in Europe, and Phacelia tanacetifolia as a model crop. We show that spray applications of the insecticide sulfoxaflor (product Closer) and the fungicide azoxystrobin (product Amistar), both alone and combined, had no significant negative impacts on adult female survival or the production, mortality, sex ratio and body size of offspring when sulfoxaflor was applied five days before crop flowering. Our results indicate that for O. bicornis (1) the risk of adverse impacts of sulfoxaflor (Closer) on fitness is small when applied at least five days before crop flowering and (2) that azoxystrobin (Amistar) has a low potential of exacerbating sulfoxaflor effects under field-realistic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Melanie Schwarz
- Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zurich, Switzerland; ETH Zurich, Institute for Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ecosystem Management, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Anina C Knauer
- Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Robin R Dean
- Red Beehive Company, Bishops Waltham, United Kingdom
| | - Jaboury Ghazoul
- ETH Zurich, Institute for Terrestrial Ecosystems, Ecosystem Management, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni Tamburini
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany; University of Bari, Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA - Entomology), Bari, Italy
| | - Dimitry Wintermantel
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Alexandra-Maria Klein
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany
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17
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Siviter H, Matthews AJ, Brown MJF. A Combined LD50 for Agrochemicals and Pathogens in Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris [Hymenoptera: Apidae]). ENVIRONMENTAL ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 51:378-384. [PMID: 35021185 PMCID: PMC9032631 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvab139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides are the most commonly used insecticide in the world and can have significant sub-lethal impacts on beneficial insects, including bumblebees, which are important pollinators of agricultural crops and wild-flowers. This has led to bans on neonicotinoid use in the EU and has resulted in repeated calls for the agrochemical regulatory process to be modified. For example, there is increasing concern about 1) the underrepresentation of wild bees, such as bumblebees, in the regulatory process, and 2) the failure to determine how agrochemicals, such as neonicotinoids, interact with other commonly occurring environmental stressors, such as parasites. Here, we modify an OECD approved lethal dose (LD50) experimental design and coexpose bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) to the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam and the highly prevalent trypanosome parasite Crithidia bombi, in a fully crossed design. We found no difference in the LD50 of thiamethoxam on bumblebees that had or had not been inoculated with the parasite (Crithidia bombi). Furthermore, thiamethoxam dosage did not appear to influence the parasite intensity of surviving bumblebees, and there was no effect of either parasite or insecticide on sucrose consumption. The methodology used demonstrates how existing ring-tested experimental designs can be effectively modified to include other environmental stressors such as parasites. Moving forward, the regulatory process should implement methodologies that assess the interactions between agrochemicals and parasites on non-Apis bees and, in cases when this is not practical, should implement post-regulatory monitoring to better understand the real-world consequences of agrochemical use.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mark J F Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, United Kingdom
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18
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Sensitivity of Buff-Tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris L.) to Insecticides with Different Mode of Action. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13020184. [PMID: 35206757 PMCID: PMC8879041 DOI: 10.3390/insects13020184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Several neonicotinoid insecticides that were once widely used for pest control are currently banned for outdoor use in the European Union (EU) because they pose a risk to bees. This restriction meant that farmers had to look for alternatives for pest management and use known insecticides or new substances with supposedly more bee-friendly characteristics. We evaluated the toxicity of six insecticides on buff-tailed bumblebee workers (Bombus terrestris): two banned neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, thiacloprid), two pyrethroids (deltamethrin, esfenvalerate), one sulfoximine (sulfoxaflor) and a microbial insecticide based on Bacillus thuringiensis toxins, which are present in genetically modified (Bt) maize. The results obtained show that certain insecticides in use have higher acute toxicity to B. terrestris than some of the banned neonicotinoids. Abstract Systemic insecticides are recognized as one of the drivers of the worldwide bee decline as they are exposed to them through multiple pathways. Specifically, neonicotinoids, some of which are banned for outdoor use in the European Union (EU), have been pointed out as a major cause of bee collapse. Thus, farmers have had to look for alternatives for pest control and use known insecticides or new substances reportedly less harmful to bees. We evaluated the oral acute toxicity of six insecticides (three of them systemic: imidacloprid, thiacloprid and sulfoxaflor) with four different modes of action on buff-tailed bumblebee workers (Bombus terrestris): two banned neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, thiacloprid), two pyrethroids (deltamethrin, esfenvalerate), one sulfoximine (sulfoxaflor) and a microbial insecticide based on Bacillus thuringiensis toxins, present in genetically modified (Bt) maize. The microbial insecticide only caused mortality to bumblebee workers at extremely high concentrations, so it is expected that Bt maize does not pose a risk to them. The toxicity of the other five insecticides on bumblebees was, from highest to lowest: imidacloprid, sulfoxaflor, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate and thiacloprid. This outcome suggests that certain insecticides in use are more toxic to B. terrestris than some banned neonicotinoids. Further chronic toxicity studies, under realistic conditions, are necessary for a proper risk assessment.
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19
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Tamburini G, Pereira-Peixoto MH, Borth J, Lotz S, Wintermantel D, Allan MJ, Dean R, Schwarz JM, Knauer A, Albrecht M, Klein AM. Fungicide and insecticide exposure adversely impacts bumblebees and pollination services under semi-field conditions. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 157:106813. [PMID: 34455190 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sulfoximines, the next generation systemic insecticides developed to replace neonicotinoids, have been shown to negatively impact pollinator development and reproduction. However, field-realistic studies on sulfoximines are few and consequences on pollination services unexplored. Moreover, the impacts of other agrochemicals such as fungicides, and their combined effects with insecticides remain poorly investigated. Here, we show in a full factorial semi-field experiment that spray applications of both the product Closer containing the insecticide sulfoxaflor and the product Amistar containing the fungicide azoxystrobin, negatively affected the individual foraging performance of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris). Insecticide exposure further reduced colony growth and size whereas fungicide exposure decreased pollen deposition. We found indications for resource limitation that might have exacerbated pesticide effects on bumblebee colonies. Our work demonstrates that field-realistic exposure to sulfoxaflor can adversely impact bumblebees and that applications before bloom may be insufficient as a mitigation measure to prevent its negative impacts on pollinators. Moreover, fungicide use during bloom could reduce bumblebee foraging performance and pollination services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Tamburini
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany; University of Bari, Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA - Entomology), Bari, Italy.
| | | | - Jonas Borth
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Simon Lotz
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dimitry Wintermantel
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Anina Knauer
- Agroscope, Agroecology and Environment, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Alexandra-Maria Klein
- University of Freiburg, Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Freiburg, Germany
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20
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Linguadoca A, Rizzi C, Villa S, Brown MJF. Sulfoxaflor and nutritional deficiency synergistically reduce survival and fecundity in bumblebees. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 795:148680. [PMID: 34247092 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A range of anthropogenic factors are causing unprecedented bee declines. Among these drivers the usage of pesticides is believed to be crucial. While the use of key bee-harming insecticides, such as the neonicotinoids, has been reduced by regulatory authorities, novel, less studied substances have occupied their market niche. Understanding the threat of these chemicals to bees is, therefore, crucial to their conservation. Here we focus on sulfoxaflor, a novel insecticide, targeting the same neural receptor as the neonicotinoids. In stark contrast to the growing concerns around its negative impacts on bee health, a recent assessment has resulted in the extension of its authorisations across the USA. However, such assessments may underestimate risks by overlooking interactive impacts of multiple stressors. Here we investigated co-occurring, lethal and sublethal risks of sulfoxaflor and a dietary stress for bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), a key pollinator. Specifically, we employed a novel microcolony design, where, for the first time in bees, pesticide exposure mimicked natural degradation. We orally exposed workers to sulfoxaflor and a sugar-deficient diet in a fully factorial design. Field realistic, worst-case sulfoxaflor exposure caused a sharp increase in bee mortality. At sublethal concentrations, sulfoxaflor negatively affected bee fecundity, but not survival. Nutritional stress reduced bee fecundity and synergistically or additively aggravated impacts of sulfoxaflor on bee survival, egg laying and larval production. Our data show that non-mitigated label uses of sulfoxaflor may have major, yet severely neglected effects on bumblebee health, which may be exacerbated by nutritional stress. By unravelling mechanistic interactions of synergistic risks, our study highlights the need to overcome inherent limitations of Environmental Risk Assessment schemes, which, being based on a "single stressor paradigm", may fail to inform policymakers of the real risks of pesticide use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Linguadoca
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, School for Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK.
| | - Cristiana Rizzi
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Sara Villa
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, School for Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
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21
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Siviter H, Richman SK, Muth F. Field-realistic neonicotinoid exposure has sub-lethal effects on non-Apis bees: A meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:2586-2597. [PMID: 34488245 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Neonicotinoid insecticides can have sub-lethal effects on bees which has led to calls from conservationists for a global ban. In contrast, agrochemical companies argue that neonicotinoids do not harm honeybees at field-realistic levels. However, the focus on honeybees neglects the potential impact on other bee species. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess whether field-realistic neonicotinoid exposure has sub-lethal effects on non-Apis bees. We extracted data from 53 papers (212 effects sizes) and found that it largely consisted of two genera: bumblebees (Bombus) and mason bees (Osmia), highlighting a substantial taxonomic knowledge gap. Neonicotinoid exposure negatively affected reproductive output across all bees and impaired bumblebee colony growth and foraging. Neonicotinoids also reduced Bombus, but not Osmia, individual development (growth and body size). Our results suggest that restrictions on neonicotinoids should benefit bee populations and highlight that the current regulatory process does not safeguard pollinators from the unwanted consequences of insecticide use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Sarah K Richman
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Felicity Muth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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22
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Jachuła J, Denisow B, Wrzesień M. Habitat heterogeneity helps to mitigate pollinator nectar sugar deficit and discontinuity in an agricultural landscape. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 782:146909. [PMID: 33848857 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The scarcity of floral resources and their seasonal discontinuity are considered as major factors for pollinator decline in intensified agricultural landscapes worldwide. The consequences are detrimental for the stability of the environment and ecosystems. Here, we quantified the production of nectar sugars in plant species occurring in man-made, non-cropped areas (non-forest woody vegetation, road verges, railway embankments, field margins, fallow areas) of an agricultural landscape in SE Poland. We also assessed changes in the availability of sugar resources both in space (habitat and landscape scales) and in time (throughout the flowering season), and checked to what extent the sugar demands of honeybees and bumblebees are met at the landscape scale. At landscape-level, 37.6% of the available sugar resources are produced in man-made, non-cropped habitats, while 32.6% and 15.0% of sugars derive from winter rape crops and forest vegetation, respectively. Nectar sugar supplies vary greatly between man-made, non-cropped habitat types/sub-types. These areas are characterized by a high richness of nectar-producing species. However, a predominant role in total sugar resources is ascribable to a few species. Strong fluctuations in nectar resources are recorded throughout the flowering season. March and June are periods with food shortages. Abundant nectar sugars are generally found in April-May, mainly due to the mass flowering of nectar-yielding species in the forests, meadows/pastures and orchards/rapeseed crops. Heterogeneity of man-made, non-cropped habitats is essential to support the supply of July-October nectar sugars for honeybees and bumblebees. Reduced flowering in man-made non-cropped habitats can generate serious food deficiencies, as from summer towards the end of the flowering season >90% of sugars are provided by the flora of these areas. Therefore, highly nectar-yielding plant species that flower during periods of expected food shortages should be a priority for conservation and restoration programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacek Jachuła
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Subdepartment of Plant Biology, University of Life Sciences, 15 Akademicka St., 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - Bożena Denisow
- Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Subdepartment of Plant Biology, University of Life Sciences, 15 Akademicka St., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Małgorzata Wrzesień
- Department of Botany, Mycology, and Ecology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 19 Akademicka St., 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
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23
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Shang J, Yao YS, Zhu XZ, Wang L, Li DY, Zhang KX, Gao XK, Wu CC, Niu L, Ji JC, Luo JY, Cui JJ. Evaluation of sublethal and transgenerational effects of sulfoxaflor on Aphis gossypii via life table parameters and 16S rRNA sequencing. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:3406-3418. [PMID: 33786972 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aphis gossypii, a polyphagous and recurrent pest induced by pesticides, causes tremendous loss crop yields each year. Previous studies on the mechanism of pesticide-induced sublethal effects mainly focus on the gene level. The symbiotic bacteria are also important participants of this mechanism, but their roles in hormesis are still unclear. RESULTS In this study, life table parameters and 16S rRNA sequencing were applied to evaluate the sublethal and transgenerational effects of sulfoxaflor on adult A. gossypii after 24-h LC20 (6.96 mg L-1 ) concentration exposure. The results indicated that the LC20 of sulfoxaflor significantly reduced the finite rate of increase (λ) and net reproductive rate (R0 ) of parent generation (G0), and significantly increased mean generation time (T) of G1 and G2, but not of G3 and G4. Both reproductive period and fecundity of G1 and G2 were significantly higher than those of the control. Furthermore, our sequencing data revealed that more than 95% bacterial communities were dominated by the phylum Proteobacteria, in which the maximum proportion genus was the primary symbiont Buchnera and the facultative symbiont Arsenophonus. Compared to those of the control, the abundance and composition of symbiotic bacteria of A. gossypii for three successive generations (G0-G2) were changed after G0 A. gossypii was exposed to sulfoxaflor: the diversity of the bacterial community was decreased, but the abundance of Buchnera was increased (G0), while the abundance of Arsenophonus was decreased. Contrary to G0, G1 and G2 cotton aphid exhibited an increased relative abundance of Arsenophonus in the sublethal treatment group. CONCLUSION Taken together, our results provide an insight into the interactions among pesticide resistance, aphids, and symbionts, which will eventually help to better manage the resurgence of A. gossypii. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Shang
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- College of Plant Science, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Production and Construction Corps of Agricultural Integrated Pest Management in Southern Xinjiang, Aral, China
| | - Yong-Sheng Yao
- College of Plant Science, Tarim University/Key Laboratory of Production and Construction Corps of Agricultural Integrated Pest Management in Southern Xinjiang, Aral, China
| | - Xiang-Zhen Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Dong-Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Kai-Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Xue-Ke Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Chang-Cai Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Lin Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Ji-Chao Ji
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Jun-Yu Luo
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
| | - Jin-Jie Cui
- Zhengzhou Research Base, State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang, China
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24
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Skórka P, Banach A, Banasiak M, Bokalska-Rajba J, Bonk M, Czachura P, García-Rodríguez A, Gaspar G, Hordyńska N, Kaczmarczyk A, Kapłoniak K, Kociński M, Łopata B, Mazur E, Mirzaei M, Misiewicz A, Parres A, Przystałkowska A, Pustkowiak S, Raczyński M, Sadura I, Splitt A, Stanek M, Sternalski J, Wierzbicka A, Wiorek M, Zduńczyk P. Congruence between the prioritisation of conservation problems at the local and national scale: an evaluation by environmental scientists in Poland. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:35317-35326. [PMID: 34100204 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14741-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The anthropogenic pressure on the environment depends on the spatial scale. It is crucial to prioritise conservation actions at different spatial scales to be cost-efficient. Using horizon scanning with the Delphi technique, we asked what the most important conservation problems are in Poland at local and national scales. Twenty-six participants, PhD students, individually identified conservation issues important at the local and national scales. Each problem was then scored and classified into broader categories during the round discussions. Text mining, cross-sectional analyses, and frequency tests were used to compare the context, importance scores, and frequency of identified problems between the two scales, respectively. A total of 115 problems were identified at the local scale and 122 at the national scale. Among them, 30 problems were identical for both scales. Importance scores were higher for national than local problems; however, this resulted from different sets of problems identified at the two scales. Problems linked to urbanisation, education, and management were associated with the local scale. Problems related to policy, forestry, and consumerism were more frequent at the national scale. An efficient conservation policy should be built hierarchically (e.g. introducing adaptive governance), implementing solutions at a national scale with the flexibility to adjust for local differences and to address the most pressing issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Skórka
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Agata Banach
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Marek Banasiak
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Joanna Bokalska-Rajba
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Bonk
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Czachura
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Alberto García-Rodríguez
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Gabriela Gaspar
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Natalia Hordyńska
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Kraków, Poland
| | - Adriana Kaczmarczyk
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Kraków, Poland
| | - Kamila Kapłoniak
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Kociński
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Barbara Łopata
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta Mazur
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Mohamadreza Mirzaei
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Misiewicz
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Aida Parres
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Przystałkowska
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Sylwia Pustkowiak
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Mateusz Raczyński
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Iwona Sadura
- The Franciszek Górski Institute of Plant Physiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Niezapominajek 21, 30-239, Kraków, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Splitt
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Stanek
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jakub Sternalski
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Alicja Wierzbicka
- National Research Institute of Animal Production, Krakowska 1, 32-083, Balice, Poland
| | - Marcin Wiorek
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016, Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Zduńczyk
- W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz 46, 31-512, Kraków, Poland
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25
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Marja R, Klein AM, Viik E, Batáry P. Environmentally-friendly and organic management practices enable complementary diversification of plant–bumblebee food webs. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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26
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Proesmans W, Albrecht M, Gajda A, Neumann P, Paxton RJ, Pioz M, Polzin C, Schweiger O, Settele J, Szentgyörgyi H, Thulke HH, Vanbergen AJ. Pathways for Novel Epidemiology: Plant-Pollinator-Pathogen Networks and Global Change. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:623-636. [PMID: 33865639 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Multiple global change pressures, and their interplay, cause plant-pollinator extinctions and modify species assemblages and interactions. This may alter the risks of pathogen host shifts, intra- or interspecific pathogen spread, and emergence of novel population or community epidemics. Flowers are hubs for pathogen transmission. Consequently, the structure of plant-pollinator interaction networks may be pivotal in pathogen host shifts and modulating disease dynamics. Traits of plants, pollinators, and pathogens may also govern the interspecific spread of pathogens. Pathogen spillover-spillback between managed and wild pollinators risks driving the evolution of virulence and community epidemics. Understanding this interplay between host-pathogen dynamics and global change will be crucial to predicting impacts on pollinators and pollination underpinning ecosystems and human wellbeing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem Proesmans
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France.
| | | | - Anna Gajda
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Peter Neumann
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Robert J Paxton
- General Zoology, Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Maryline Pioz
- Abeilles et Environnement, INRAE, 84140 Avignon, France
| | - Christine Polzin
- Department of Environmental Politics, UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Oliver Schweiger
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Josef Settele
- UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany; iDiv, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines, 4031 Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
| | - Hajnalka Szentgyörgyi
- Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Hans-Hermann Thulke
- Department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, 04138 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Adam J Vanbergen
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRAE, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France.
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27
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Azpiazu C, Bosch J, Bortolotti L, Medrzycki P, Teper D, Molowny-Horas R, Sgolastra F. Toxicity of the insecticide sulfoxaflor alone and in combination with the fungicide fluxapyroxad in three bee species. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6821. [PMID: 33767274 PMCID: PMC7994444 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86036-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The sulfoximine insecticide sulfoxaflor is regarded as a potential substitute for neonicotinoids that were recently banned in the EU due to their side effects on bees. Like neonicotinoids, sulfoxaflor acts as a competitive modulator of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In agricultural environments, bees are commonly exposed to combinations of pesticides, and neonicotinoids are known to interact synergistically with fungicides. The objective of our study is to assess the acute oral toxicity of sulfoxaflor alone and in combination with a single dose of fluxapyroxad, a succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide, in three bee species: Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris and Osmia bicornis. Because synergism may be dose-dependent, we tested a range of sulfoxaflor doses. Synergistic effects were assessed using three different approaches: Bliss criterion of drugs independence, ratio test comparing LD50s and model deviation ratio. Osmia bicornis was the most sensitive species to sulfoxaflor and both O. bicornis and A. mellifera showed significant synergism between the insecticide and the fungicide. For the most part, these synergistic effects were weak and only occurred at early assessment times and intermediate sulfoxaflor doses. The potential ecological relevance of these effects should be confirmed in field and/or cage studies. Overall, our laboratory results demonstrate that sulfoxaflor is somewhat less toxic than the recently banned neonicotinoids imidacloprid, thiamethoxam and clothianidin, but much more toxic than other neonicotinoids (acetamiprid, thiacloprid) still in use in the EU at the time this study was conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Azpiazu
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italy
| | - J Bosch
- CREAF, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - L Bortolotti
- CREA-Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura ed Ambiente, Via Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - P Medrzycki
- CREA-Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura ed Ambiente, Via Corticella 133, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - D Teper
- Apiculture Division, Research Institute of Horticulture, 2A Kazmierska St., 24100, Puławy, Poland
| | - R Molowny-Horas
- CREAF, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - F Sgolastra
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Agro-Alimentari, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Viale Fanin 42, 40127, Bologna, Italy.
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28
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Pustkowiak S, Kwieciński Z, Lenda M, Żmihorski M, Rosin ZM, Tryjanowski P, Skórka P. Small things are important: the value of singular point elements for birds in agricultural landscapes. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1386-1403. [PMID: 33694303 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Farmland birds belong to the most endangered group of vertebrates in Europe. They are an important component of farmland biodiversity considering the numerous functions they perform (e.g. seed dispersal, improving germination, increasing gene flow, nutrient recycling, and pest control). Therefore, their decline imposes substantial risks on agricultural ecosystems. In general, farmland bird conservation includes land-use and management alterations leading to less-intensive farming and land-sparing for breeding habitats (e.g. agri-environment-climate schemes, and organic farming). However, theoretical concepts describing farmland biodiversity maintenance and applied conservation measures usually ignore the role of singular, often very small, natural or man-made elements in an agricultural landscape. These elements play a role in the populations of certain species, their biology and in the general species richness of farmland. Furthermore, the importance of these elements has never been empirically tested, which means that conservationists and practitioners are not aware of their measurable value for birds. Herein, we define and identify singular point elements in the agricultural landscape (SPELs) which are potentially important for breeding farmland birds. We also describe each SPEL and evaluate its importance for birds in farmland based on a systematic review of the available literature. Using a horizon-scanning technique, we then polled field ornithologists about their personal observations of birds in relation to SPELs and the evaluation of the potential roles of such structures for birds. We identified 17 SPELs that vary in naturalness and age: singular trees, singular shrubs, erratic boulders, puddles, electricity pylons, wind turbines, spiritual sites, hunting platforms, fence and border posts, wells, road signs, scarecrows, piles of manure, piles of brushwood/branches, piles of stones/debris, piles of lime, and haystacks. Analysis of the literature revealed knowledge gaps, because some SPELs are frequently mentioned in ecological studies (e.g. trees, shrubs, pylons), but others such as spiritual sites, stones, hunting platforms, wells, road signs, or piles of lime are ignored. Despite the fact that some authors incorporate the effects of some SPELs in their studies, little research to date has aimed to assess the impact of various SPELs on farmland bird species numbers and distribution. Horizon scanning revealed that ornithologists often observe birds on various SPELs and thus, attribute to SPELs many functions that are important for maintaining bird populations. Horizon scanning also highlighted the importance of SPELs for many declining bird species and suggested possible mitigation of negative changes in the agricultural landscape by retaining SPELs within fields. We suggest that a better understanding of the role of SPELs for farmland birds is required. We also recommend that SPELs are considered as a potential tool for the conservation of birds, and existing conservation programs such as agri-environment-climate schemes and organic farming should be updated accordingly. Finally, we suggest that SPELs are included in predictive models that evaluate habitat suitability for farmland biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia Pustkowiak
- Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Zbigniew Kwieciński
- Institute of Biology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13, 71-412, Szczecin, Poland.,Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Magdalena Lenda
- Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Żmihorski
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Stoczek 1, 17-230, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Zuzanna M Rosin
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.,Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, Se 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznań, Poland.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Piotr Skórka
- Department of Biodiversity, Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120, Kraków, Poland
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29
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Dorneles AL, Rosa-Fontana ADS, Dos Santos CF, Blochtein B. Larvae of stingless bee Scaptotrigona bipunctata exposed to organophosphorus pesticide develop into lighter, smaller and deformed adult workers. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 272:116414. [PMID: 33445151 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.116414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Organophosphorus pesticides such as chlorpyrifos are often used in agriculture due to their broad spectrum of action. However, this insecticide and acaricide is considered highly toxic to the environment and can cause toxicity in nontarget insects such as bees. In addition to adult individuals, immature can also be exposed to residues of this insecticide by larval food. Thus, we investigated the effects of chlorpyrifos concentrations on the larval development of stingless bee Scaptotrigona bipunctata workers reared in vitro. We evaluated four different biomarkers: a) survival, b) development time, c) body mass and d) morphological characteristics (head width, intertegular distance, wing area and proportion of deformed bees). The exposure of the larvae to different doses of chlorpyrifos significantly reduced survival probability but did not cause changes in the development time. Regarding morphometric analysis, bees exposed to chlorpyrifos showed a reduction in body mass and size, and 28% of the emerged adults showed a reduction in wing area and deformations. Therefore, this work shows that S. bipunctata larvae exposed to the sublethal effects of chlorpyrifos are likely to have reduced chances of survival. However, if they emerge, they will be lighter, smaller and less able than equivalent but not exposed workers. These impaired attributes have the potential to compromise the future workforce in colonies exposed to this pesticide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Linhares Dorneles
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 90619-900, Brazil.
| | | | - Charles Fernando Dos Santos
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Betina Blochtein
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 90619-900, Brazil
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30
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Dietz S, Beazley KF, Lemieux CJ, St. Clair C, Coristine L, Higgs E, Smith R, Pellatt M, Beaty C, Cheskey E, Cooke SJ, Crawford L, Davis R, Forbes G, Gadallah F(Z, Kendall P, Mandrak N, Moola F, Parker S, Quayle J, Ray JC, Richardson K, Smith K, Snider J, Smol JP, Sutherland WJ, Vallillee A, White L, Woodley A. Emerging issues for protected and conserved areas in Canada. Facets (Ott) 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/facets-2021-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizon scanning is increasingly used in conservation to systematically explore emerging policy and management issues. We present the results of a horizon scan of issues likely to impact management of Canadian protected and conserved areas over the next 5–10 years. Eighty-eight individuals participated, representing a broad community of academics, government and nongovernment organizations, and foundations, including policymakers and managers of protected and conserved areas. This community initially identified 187 issues, which were subsequently triaged to 15 horizon issues by a group of 33 experts using a modified Delphi technique. Results were organized under four broad categories: ( i) emerging effects of climate change in protected and conserved areas design, planning, and management (i.e., large-scale ecosystem changes, species translocation, fire regimes, ecological integrity, and snow patterns); ( ii) Indigenous governance and knowledge systems (i.e., Indigenous governance and Indigenous knowledge and Western science); ( iii) integrated conservation approaches across landscapes and seascapes (i.e., connectivity conservation, integrating ecosystem values and services, freshwater planning); and ( iv) early responses to emerging cumulative, underestimated, and novel threats (i.e., management of cumulative impacts, declining insect biomass, increasing anthropogenic noise, synthetic biology). Overall, the scan identified several emerging issues that require immediate attention to effectively reduce threats, respond to opportunities, and enhance preparedness and capacity to react.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Dietz
- Ecosystem Science Laboratory, Office of the Chief Ecosystem Scientist, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation Directorate, Parks Canada Agency, Gatineau QC J8X 0B3, Canada
| | - Karen F. Beazley
- School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| | - Christopher J. Lemieux
- Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5, Canada
| | - Colleen St. Clair
- Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Laura Coristine
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Eric Higgs
- School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - Risa Smith
- International Union for the Conservation of Nature/World Commission on Protected Areas
| | - Marlow Pellatt
- Ecosystem Science Laboratory, Office of the Chief Ecosystem Scientist, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation Directorate, Parks Canada Agency, Gatineau QC J8X 0B3, Canada
| | | | | | - Steven J. Cooke
- Institute for Environmental and Interdisciplinary Sciences and Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Lindsay Crawford
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Rob Davis
- Ontario Parks, Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5, Canada
| | - Graham Forbes
- University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB E3B 5A3, Canada
| | - Fawziah (ZuZu) Gadallah
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, Gatineau, QC, K1A 0H3, Canada
| | | | - Nick Mandrak
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Faisal Moola
- Geography, Environment & Geomatics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Scott Parker
- Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation Directorate, Parks Canada Agency, Gatineau QC J8X 0B3, Canada
| | | | - Justina C. Ray
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Toronto, ON M5S 3A7, Canada
| | - Karen Richardson
- Ecosystem Science Laboratory, Office of the Chief Ecosystem Scientist, Protected Areas Establishment and Conservation Directorate, Parks Canada Agency, Gatineau QC J8X 0B3, Canada
| | - Kevin Smith
- Ducks Unlimited Canada, Edmonton, AB T5S 0A2, Canada
| | - James Snider
- World Wildlife Fund Canada, Toronto, ON M5V 1S8, Canada
| | - John P. Smol
- Paleoecological Environmental Assessment and Research Lab (PEARL), Department of Biology, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - William J Sutherland
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK; Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine’s, St Catharine’s College, Cambridge CB2 1RL, UK
| | | | - Lori White
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Alison Woodley
- Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ottawa, ON K2P 0A4, Canada
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Nooten SS, Odanaka KA, Rehan SM. Effects of Farmland and Seasonal Phenology on Wild Bees in Blueberry Orchards. Northeast Nat (Steuben) 2020. [DOI: 10.1656/045.027.0420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine S. Nooten
- University of New Hampshire, Department of Biological Science, Durham, NH 03824
| | | | - Sandra M. Rehan
- University of New Hampshire, Department of Biological Science, Durham, NH 03824
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Marzoli F, Forzan M, Bortolotti L, Pacini MI, Rodríguez-Flores MS, Felicioli A, Mazzei M. Next generation sequencing study on RNA viruses of Vespa velutina and Apis mellifera sharing the same foraging area. Transbound Emerg Dis 2020; 68:2261-2273. [PMID: 33063956 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.13878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The predator Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) represents one of the major threats to honeybee survival. Viral spillover from bee to wasp has been supposed in several studies, and this work aims to identify and study the virome of both insect species living simultaneously in the same foraging area. Transcriptomic analysis was performed on V. velutina and Apis mellifera samples, and replicative form of detected viruses was carried out by strand-specific RT-PCR. Overall, 6 and 9 different viral types were reported in V. velutina and A. mellifera, respectively, and five of these viruses were recorded in both hosts. Varroa destructor virus-1 and Cripavirus NB-1/2011/HUN (now classified as Triato-like virus) were the most represented viruses detected in both hosts, also in replicative form. In this investigation, Triato-like virus, as well as Aphis gossypii virus and Nora virus, was detected for the first time in honeybees. Concerning V. velutina, we report for the first time the recently detected honeybee La Jolla virus. A general high homology rate between genomes of shared viruses between V. velutina and A. mellifera suggests the efficient transmission of the virus from bee to wasp. In conclusion, our findings highlight the presence of several known and newly reported RNA viruses infecting A. mellifera and V. velutina. This confirms the environment role as an important source of infection and indicates the possibility of spillover from prey to predator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Marzoli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa (PI), Italy.,Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - Mario Forzan
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa (PI), Italy
| | - Laura Bortolotti
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Bologna (BO), Italy
| | | | - María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa (PI), Italy.,Faculty of Sciences, University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain
| | - Antonio Felicioli
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa (PI), Italy
| | - Maurizio Mazzei
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Pisa (PI), Italy
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Siviter H, Muth F. Do novel insecticides pose a threat to beneficial insects? Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201265. [PMID: 32993471 PMCID: PMC7542824 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Systemic insecticides, such as neonicotinoids, are a major contributor towards beneficial insect declines. This has led to bans and restrictions on neonicotinoid use globally, most noticeably in the European Union, where four commonly used neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin and thiacloprid) are banned from outside agricultural use. While this might seem like a victory for conservation, restrictions on neonicotinoid use will only benefit insect populations if newly emerging insecticides do not have similar negative impacts on beneficial insects. Flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor are two novel insecticides that have been registered for use globally, including within the European Union. These novel insecticides differ in their chemical class, but share the same mode of action as neonicotinoids, raising the question as to whether they have similar sub-lethal impacts on beneficial insects. Here, we conducted a systematic literature search of the potential sub-lethal impacts of these novel insecticides on beneficial insects, quantifying these effects with a meta-analysis. We demonstrate that both flupyradifurone and sulfoxaflor have significant sub-lethal impacts on beneficial insects at field-realistic levels of exposure. These results confirm that bans on neonicotinoid use will only protect beneficial insects if paired with significant changes to the agrochemical regulatory process. A failure to modify the regulatory process will result in a continued decline of beneficial insects and the ecosystem services on which global food production relies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, 2415 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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35
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Rafael Braga A, G. Gomes D, M. Freitas B, A. Cazier J. A cluster-classification method for accurate mining of seasonal honey bee patterns. ECOL INFORM 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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36
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Göttlinger T, Lohaus G. Influence of light, dark, temperature and drought on metabolite and ion composition in nectar and nectaries of an epiphytic bromeliad species (Aechmea fasciata). PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2020; 22:781-793. [PMID: 32558085 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Research into the influence of stress factors, such as drought, different temperatures and/or varied light conditions, on plants due to climate changes is becoming increasingly important. Epiphytes, like many species of the Bromeliaceae, are particularly affected by this, but little is known about impacts on nectar composition and nectary metabolism. We investigated the influence of drought, different temperatures and light-dark regimes on nectar and nectaries of the epiphytic bromeliad species, Aechmea fasciata, and also the influence of drought with the terrestrial bromeliad, Billbergia nutans. The content of sugars, amino acids and ions in nectar and nectaries was analysed using HPLC. In addition, the starch content and the activities of different invertases in nectaries were determined. Compositions of nectar and nectaries were hardly influenced, neither by light nor dark, nor by different temperatures. In contrast, drought revealed changes in nectar volumes and nectar sugar compositions in the epiphytic bromeliad as well as in the terrestrial bromeliad. In both species, the sucrose-to-hexose ratio in nectar decreased considerably during the drought period. These changes in nectar sugar composition do not correlate with changes in the nectaries. The total sugar, amino acid and ion concentrations remained constant in nectar as well as in nectaries during the drought period. Changes in nectar composition or in the production of floral pollinator rewards are likely to affect plant-pollinator interactions. It remains questionable how far the adaptations of the bromeliads to drought and diverse light or temperature conditions are still sufficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Göttlinger
- Molecular Plant Science and Plant Biochemistry, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
| | - G Lohaus
- Molecular Plant Science and Plant Biochemistry, University of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
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37
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Siviter H, Folly AJ, Brown MJF, Leadbeater E. Individual and combined impacts of sulfoxaflor and Nosema bombi on bumblebee ( Bombus terrestris) larval growth. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200935. [PMID: 32752985 PMCID: PMC7575523 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Sulfoxaflor is a globally important novel insecticide that can have negative impacts on the reproductive output of bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) colonies. However, it remains unclear as to which life-history stage is critically affected by exposure. One hypothesis is that sulfoxaflor exposure early in the colony's life cycle can impair larval development, reducing the number of workers produced and ultimately lowering colony reproductive output. Here we assess the influence of sulfoxaflor exposure on bumblebee larval mortality and growth both when tested in insolation and when in combination with the common fungal parasite Nosema bombi, following a pre-registered design. We found no significant impact of sulfoxaflor (5 ppb) or N. bombi exposure (50 000 spores) on larval mortality when tested in isolation but found an additive, negative effect when larvae received both stressors in combination. Individually, sulfoxaflor and N. bombi exposure each impaired larval growth, although the impact of combined exposure fell significantly short of the predicted sum of the individual effects (i.e. they interacted antagonistically). Ultimately, our results suggest that colony-level consequences of sulfoxaflor exposure for bumblebees may be mediated through direct effects on larvae. As sulfoxaflor is licensed for use globally, our findings highlight the need to understand how novel insecticides impact non-target insects at various stages of their development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
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38
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Daniels B, Jedamski J, Ottermanns R, Ross-Nickoll M. A "plan bee" for cities: Pollinator diversity and plant-pollinator interactions in urban green spaces. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0235492. [PMID: 32667935 PMCID: PMC7363068 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Green infrastructure in cities is considered to serve as a refuge for insect pollinators, especially in the light of an ongoing global decline of insects in agricultural landscapes. The design and maintenance of urban green spaces as key components of green infrastructure play a crucial role in case of nesting opportunities and for foraging insects. However, only few research has explored the impact of urban green space design on flower visitor communities, plant-pollinator interaction and the provision of the ecosystem service of pollination in cities. We investigated the abundance and diversity of pollinator communities in different urban park types in designed, standardized vegetation units, linked the visitation rates to the structural composition of the park types and derived indices for implemented pollination performances. The study was performed in two different structural park elements, flower beds and insect-pollinating trees. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between plants and pollinators, we calculated a plant-pollinator network of the recorded community in the investigation area. Visitation rates at different park types clearly showed, that the urban community gardens in comparison to other urban park types had a significantly higher abundance of pollinator groups, comparable to results found on a rural reference site. Tilia trees contributed significantly to the ecosystem service of pollination in investigated green spaces with a high supply of nectar and pollen during their flowering period. Calculations of pollination performances showed that recreational parks had comparably low visitation rates of pollinators and a high potential to improve conditions for the ecosystem service of pollination. The results indicated the strong potential of cities to provide a habitat for different groups of pollinators. In order to access this refuge, it is necessary to rely on near-natural concepts in design and maintenance, to create a wide range of flower diversity and to use even small green patches. Based on the findings, we encourage an integrated management of urban free spaces to consider parks as key habitats for pollinators in anthropogenic dominated, urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Daniels
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Jana Jedamski
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Richard Ottermanns
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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39
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Seymour CL, Gillson L, Child MF, Tolley KA, Curie JC, da Silva JM, Alexander GJ, Anderson P, Downs CT, Egoh BN, Ehlers Smith DA, Ehlers Smith YC, Esler KJ, O’Farrell PJ, Skowno AL, Suleman E, Veldtman R. Horizon scanning for South African biodiversity: A need for social engagement as well as science. AMBIO 2020; 49:1211-1221. [PMID: 31564051 PMCID: PMC7128016 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01252-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
A horizon scan was conducted to identify emerging and intensifying issues for biodiversity conservation in South Africa over the next 5-10 years. South African biodiversity experts submitted 63 issues of which ten were identified as priorities using the Delphi method. These priority issues were then plotted along axes of social agreement and scientific certainty, to ascertain whether issues might be "simple" (amenable to solutions from science alone), "complicated" (socially agreed upon but technically complicated), "complex" (scientifically challenging and significant levels of social disagreement) or "chaotic" (high social disagreement and highly scientifically challenging). Only three of the issues were likely to be resolved by improved science alone, while the remainder require engagement with social, economic and political factors. Fortunately, none of the issues were considered chaotic. Nevertheless, strategic communication, education and engagement with the populace and policy makers were considered vital for addressing emerging issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colleen L. Seymour
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa
| | - Lindsey Gillson
- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa
| | - Matthew F. Child
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028 South Africa
| | - Krystal A. Tolley
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- Department of Zoology, Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, P.O. Box 524, Auckland Park, 2000 South Africa
| | - Jock C. Curie
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth, 6031 South Africa
| | - Jessica M. da Silva
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- Department of Botany & Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag x1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
| | - Graham J. Alexander
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050 South Africa
| | - Pippin Anderson
- Department of Environmental and Geographical Science, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa
| | - Colleen T. Downs
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209 South Africa
| | - Benis N. Egoh
- Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
| | - David A. Ehlers Smith
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209 South Africa
| | - Yvette C. Ehlers Smith
- Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209 South Africa
| | - Karen J. Esler
- Centre for Invasion Biology and Department of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag x1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
| | - Patrick J. O’Farrell
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, PO Box 320, Stellenbosch, 7599 South Africa
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa
| | - Andrew L. Skowno
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- Plant Conservation Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, private Bag X3, Rondebosch, 7701 South Africa
| | - Essa Suleman
- NextGen Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), 232 Boom Street, Pretoria, 0001 South Africa
| | - Ruan Veldtman
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Private Bag X7, Claremont, 7735 South Africa
- Department of Conservation Ecology & Entomology, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag x1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa
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40
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Saved by the pulse? Separating the effects of total and temporal food abundance on the growth and reproduction of bumble bee microcolonies. Basic Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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41
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Prendergast KS, Menz MHM, Dixon KW, Bateman PW. The relative performance of sampling methods for native bees: an empirical test and review of the literature. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kit S. Prendergast
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Perth Bentley Western Australia 6102 Australia
| | - Myles H. M. Menz
- Department of Migration Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior Radolfzell 78315 Germany
- Department of Biology University of Konstanz Konstanz Germany
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Western Australia Crawley Western Australia 6009 Australia
| | - Kingsley W. Dixon
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Perth Bentley Western Australia 6102 Australia
| | - Philip W. Bateman
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences Curtin University Perth Bentley Western Australia 6102 Australia
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42
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Liu YJ, Qiao NH, Diao QY, Jing Z, Vukanti R, Dai PL, Ge Y. Thiacloprid exposure perturbs the gut microbiota and reduces the survival status in honeybees. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 389:121818. [PMID: 31818660 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Honeybees (Apis mellifera) offer ecosystem services such as pollination, conservation of biodiversity, and provision of food. However, in recent years, the number of honeybee colonies is diminishing rapidly, which is probably linked to the wide use of neonicotinoid insecticides. Middle-aged honeybees were fed with 50% (w/v) sucrose solution containing 0, 0.2, 0.6, and 2.0 mg/L thiacloprid (a neonicotinoid insecticide) for up to 13 days, and on each day of exposure experiment, percentage survival, sucrose consumption, and bodyweight of honeybees were measured. Further, changes in honeybee gut microbial community were examined using next-generation 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing on day 1, 7, and 13 of the exposure. When compared to control-treatment, continuous exposure to high (0.6 mg/L) and very high (2.0 mg/L) concentrations of thiacloprid significantly reduced percentage survival of honeybees (p < 0.001) and led to dysbiosis of their gut microbial community on day 7 of the exposure. However, during subsequent developmental stages of middle-aged honeybees (i.e. on day 13), their gut microbiome recovered from dysbiosis that occurred previously due to thiacloprid exposure. Taken together, improper application of thiacloprid can cause loss of honeybee colonies, while the microbial gut community of honeybee is an independent variable in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Jun Liu
- Department of Honeybee Protection and Biosafety, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Neng-Hu Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qing-Yun Diao
- Department of Honeybee Protection and Biosafety, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Zhongwang Jing
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Raja Vukanti
- Department of Microbiology, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Bhavan's Vivekananda College, Secunderabad, 500094, India
| | - Ping-Li Dai
- Department of Honeybee Protection and Biosafety, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Yuan Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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43
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Siviter H, Horner J, Brown MJF, Leadbeater E. Sulfoxaflor exposure reduces egg laying in bumblebees Bombus terrestris. J Appl Ecol 2020; 57:160-169. [PMID: 32055075 PMCID: PMC7004077 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Sulfoximine-based insecticides, such as sulfoxaflor, are of increasing global importance and have been registered for use in 81 countries, offering a potential alternative to neonicotinoid insecticides.Previous studies have demonstrated that sulfoxaflor exposure can have a negative impact on the reproductive output of bumblebee colonies, but the specific life-history variables that underlie these effects remain unknown.Here, we used a microcolony-based protocol to assess the sub-lethal effects of chronic sulfoxaflor exposure on egg laying, larval production, ovary development, sucrose consumption, and mortality in bumblebees. Following a pre-registered design, we exposed colonies to sucrose solutions containing 0, 5, 10 and 250ppb of sulfoxaflor. Exposure at 5 ppb has been previously shown to negatively impact colony reproductive success.Our results showed that sulfoxaflor exposure at 5 ppb (lowest exposure tested) reduced the number of eggs found within the microcolonies (Hedge's d = -0.37), with exposed microcolonies also less likely to produce larvae (Hedge's d = -0.36). Despite this, we found no effect of sulfoxaflor exposure on ovarian development. Sulfoxaflor-exposed bumblebees consumed less sucrose solution, potentially driving the observed reduction in egg laying. Policy implications. Regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) are under increasing pressure to consider the potential impact of insecticides on wild bees, such as bumblebees, but sublethal effects can go undetected at lower-tier testing. In identifying just such an effect for bumblebees exposed to sulfoxaflor, this study highlights that microcolony-based protocols are a useful tool that could be implemented within an ecotoxicology framework. Furthermore, the results provide evidence for potentially negative consequences of pollinator exposure to an insecticide that is currently undergoing the licensing process in several EU member states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
| | - Jacob Horner
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
| | - Mark J. F. Brown
- Department of Biological SciencesRoyal Holloway University of LondonEghamUK
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44
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Vanbergen AJ, Potts SG, Vian A, Malkemper EP, Young J, Tscheulin T. Risk to pollinators from anthropogenic electro-magnetic radiation (EMR): Evidence and knowledge gaps. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133833. [PMID: 31419678 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Worldwide urbanisation and use of mobile and wireless technologies (5G, Internet of Things) is leading to the proliferation of anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation (EMR) and campaigning voices continue to call for the risk to human health and wildlife to be recognised. Pollinators provide many benefits to nature and humankind, but face multiple anthropogenic threats. Here, we assess whether artificial light at night (ALAN) and anthropogenic radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (AREMR), such as used in wireless technologies (4G, 5G) or emitted from power lines, represent an additional and growing threat to pollinators. A lack of high quality scientific studies means that knowledge of the risk to pollinators from anthropogenic EMR is either inconclusive, unresolved, or only partly established. A handful of studies provide evidence that ALAN can alter pollinator communities, pollination and fruit set. Laboratory experiments provide some, albeit variable, evidence that the honey bee Apis mellifera and other invertebrates can detect EMR, potentially using it for orientation or navigation, but they do not provide evidence that AREMR affects insect behaviour in ecosystems. Scientifically robust evidence of AREMR impacts on abundance or diversity of pollinators (or other invertebrates) are limited to a single study reporting positive and negative effects depending on the pollinator group and geographical location. Therefore, whether anthropogenic EMR (ALAN or AREMR) poses a significant threat to insect pollinators and the benefits they provide to ecosystems and humanity remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Vanbergen
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Edinburgh EH26 0QB, UK.
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading University, RG6 6AR, UK.
| | - Alain Vian
- IRHS, Université d'Angers, Agrocampus-Ouest, INRA, SFR 4207 QuaSaV, 49071 Beaucouzé, France.
| | - E Pascal Malkemper
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Campus-Vienna-BioCenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Juliette Young
- Agroécologie, AgroSup Dijon, INRA, Univ. Bourgogne Franche-Comté, F-21000 Dijon, France; Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Edinburgh EH26 0QB, UK.
| | - Thomas Tscheulin
- Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, University Hill, GR-81100, Greece.
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Bramke K, Müller U, McMahon DP, Rolff J. Exposure of Larvae of the Solitary Bee Osmia bicornis to the Honey Bee Pathogen Nosema ceranae Affects Life History. INSECTS 2019; 10:E380. [PMID: 31683739 PMCID: PMC6921066 DOI: 10.3390/insects10110380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Wild bees are important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops and they are threatened by several environmental stressors including emerging pathogens. Honey bees have been suggested as a potential source of pathogen spillover. One prevalent pathogen that has recently emerged as a honey bee disease is the microsporidian Nosema ceranae. While the impacts of N. ceranae in honey bees are well documented, virtually nothing is known about its effects in solitary wild bees. The solitary mason bee Osmia bicornis is a common pollinator in orchards and amenable to commercial management. Here, we experimentally exposed larvae of O. bicornis to food contaminated with N. ceranae and document spore presence during larval development. We measured mortality, growth parameters, and timing of pupation in a semi-field experiment. Hatched individuals were assessed for physiological state including fat body mass, wing muscle mass, and body size. We recorded higher mortality in the viable-spore-exposed group but could only detect a low number of spores among the individuals of this treatment. Viable-spore-treated individuals with higher head capsule width had a delayed pupation start. No impact on the physiological status could be detected in hatched imagines. Although we did not find overt evidence of O. bicornis infection, our findings indicate that exposure of larvae to viable N. ceranae spores could affect bee development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Bramke
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Uta Müller
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Dino P McMahon
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
- Abteilung 4 Material und Umwelt, Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und-prüfung (BAM), 12205 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jens Rolff
- Institut für Biologie, Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany.
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Long-term large-scale decline in relative abundances of butterfly and burnet moth species across south-western Germany. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14921. [PMID: 31624369 PMCID: PMC6797710 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51424-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Current studies have shown a severe general decline in insect species diversity, their abundance, and a biomass reduction of flying insects. Most of previous studies have been performed at single sites, or were spatially restricted at the landscape level. In this study, we analyse trends of species richness and shifts in species composition of butterflies and burnet moth species across the federal state of Baden-Württemberg in south-western Germany, covering an area of 35,750 km2. The data set consists of 233,474 records and covers a period from 1750 until today. We grouped species according to their species´ specific functional traits and analyse how species with different habitat requirements and behaviour respond to land-use changes over time. Our data document a significant loss of relative abundance for most species, especially since the 1950s until today. Species demanding specific habitat requirements are more seriously suffering under this trend than generalists. This in particular affects taxa adapted to extensively used xerothermic grasslands, bogs or other habitats maintained by traditional low-productivity agricultural practices of the past. Our data indicate large-scale decline in relative abundance of many butterfly and burnet moth species, which happened in particular during the past few decades.
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47
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Tobin KB, Calhoun AC, Hallahan MF, Martinez A, Sadd BM. Infection Outcomes are Robust to Thermal Variability in a Bumble Bee Host-Parasite System. Integr Comp Biol 2019; 59:1103-1113. [PMID: 31065666 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icz031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change-related increases in thermal variability and rapid temperature shifts will affect organisms in multiple ways, including imposing physiological stress. Furthermore, the effects of temperature may alter the outcome of biotic interactions, such as those with pathogens and parasites. In the context of host-parasite interactions, the beneficial acclimation hypothesis posits that shifts away from acclimation or optimum performance temperatures will impose physiological stress on hosts and will affect their ability to resist parasite infection. We investigated the beneficial acclimation hypothesis in a bumble bee-trypanosome parasite system. Freshly emerged adult worker bumble bees, Bombus impatiens, were acclimated to 21, 26, or 29°C. They were subsequently experimentally exposed to the parasite, Crithidia bombi, and placed in a performance temperature that was the same as the acclimation temperature (constant) or one of the other temperatures (mismatched). Prevalence of parasite transmission was checked 4 and 6 days post-parasite exposure, and infection intensity in the gut was quantified at 8 days post-exposure. Parasite strain, host colony, and host size had significant effects on transmission prevalence and infection load. However, neither transmission nor infection intensity were significantly different between constant and mismatched thermal regimes. Furthermore, acclimation temperature, performance temperature, and the interaction of acclimation and performance temperatures had no significant effects on infection outcomes. These results, counter to predictions of the beneficial acclimation hypothesis, suggest that infection outcomes in this host-parasite system are robust to thermal variation within typically experienced ranges. This could be a consequence of adaptation to commonly experienced natural thermal regimes or a result of individual and colony level heterothermy in bumble bees. However, thermal variability may still have a detrimental effect on more sensitive stages or species, or when extreme climatic events push temperatures outside of the normally experienced range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerrigan B Tobin
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Austin C Calhoun
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Madeline F Hallahan
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Abraham Martinez
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Campus Box 4120, Normal, IL 61790, USA
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48
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Siviter H, Scott A, Pasquier G, Pull CD, Brown MJ, Leadbeater E. No evidence for negative impacts of acute sulfoxaflor exposure on bee olfactory conditioning or working memory. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7208. [PMID: 31423353 PMCID: PMC6694785 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Systemic insecticides such as neonicotinoids and sulfoximines can be present in the nectar and pollen of treated crops, through which foraging bees can become acutely exposed. Research has shown that acute, field realistic dosages of neonicotinoids can negatively influence bee learning and memory, with potential consequences for bee behaviour. As legislative reassessment of neonicotinoid use occurs globally, there is an urgent need to understand the potential risk of other systemic insecticides. Sulfoxaflor, the first branded sulfoximine-based insecticide, has the same mode of action as neonicotinoids, and may potentially replace them over large geographical ranges. Here we assessed the impact of acute sulfoxaflor exposure on performance in two paradigms that have previously been used to illustrate negative impacts of neonicotinoid pesticides on bee learning and memory. We assayed whether acute sulfoxaflor exposure influences (a) olfactory conditioning performance in both bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) and honeybees (Apis mellifera), using a proboscis extension reflex assay, and (b) working memory performance of bumblebees, using a radial-arm maze. We found no evidence to suggest that sulfoxaflor influenced performance in either paradigm. Our results suggest that despite a shared mode of action between sulfoxaflor and neonicotinoid-based insecticides, widely-documented effects of neonicotinoids on bee cognition may not be observed with sulfoxaflor, at least at acute exposure regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry Siviter
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Alfie Scott
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Grégoire Pasquier
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Christopher D. Pull
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Mark J.F. Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Ellouise Leadbeater
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
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49
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Brettell LE, Schroeder DC, Martin SJ. RNAseq Analysis Reveals Virus Diversity within Hawaiian Apiary Insect Communities. Viruses 2019; 11:v11050397. [PMID: 31035609 PMCID: PMC6563275 DOI: 10.3390/v11050397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is the most abundant viral pathogen of honey bees and has been associated with large-scale colony losses. DWV and other bee-associated RNA viruses are generalists capable of infecting diverse hosts. Here, we used RNAseq analysis to test the hypothesis that due to the frequency of interactions, a range of apiary pest species would become infected with DWV and/or other honey bee-associated viruses. We confirmed that DWV-A was the most prevalent virus in the apiary, with genetically similar sequences circulating in the apiary pests, suggesting frequent inter-species transmission. In addition, different proportions of the three DWV master variants as indicated by BLAST analysis and genome coverage plots revealed interesting DWV-species groupings. We also observed that new genomic recombinants were formed by the DWV master variants, which are likely adapted to replicate in different host species. Species groupings also applied when considering other viruses, many of which were widespread in the apiaries. In social wasps, samples were grouped further by site, which potentially also influenced viral load. Thus, the apiary invertebrate community has the potential to act as reservoirs of honey bee-associated viruses, highlighting the importance of considering the wider community in the apiary when considering honey bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Brettell
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University; Locked bag 1797, Penrith 2751, NSW, Australia.
- School of Environment and life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, UK.
| | - Declan C Schroeder
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6LA, UK.
- Veterinary Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Stephen J Martin
- School of Environment and life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester, M5 4WT, UK.
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50
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Tosi S, Nieh JC. Lethal and sublethal synergistic effects of a new systemic pesticide, flupyradifurone (Sivanto ®), on honeybees. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190433. [PMID: 30966981 PMCID: PMC6501679 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) is an important pollinator and a model for pesticide effects on insect pollinators. The effects of agricultural pesticides on honeybee health have therefore raised concern. Bees can be exposed to multiple pesticides that may interact synergistically, amplifying their side effects. Attention has focused on neonicotinoid pesticides, but flupyradifurone (FPF) is a novel butenolide insecticide that is also systemic and a nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist. We therefore tested the lethal and sublethal toxic effects of FPF over different seasons and worker types, and the interaction of FPF with a common SBI fungicide, propiconazole. We provide the first demonstration of adverse synergistic effects on bee survival and behaviour (poor coordination, hyperactivity, apathy) even at FPF field-realistic doses (worst-case scenarios). Pesticide effects were significantly influenced by worker type and season. Foragers were consistently more susceptible to the pesticides (4-fold greater effect) than in-hive bees, and both worker types were more strongly affected by FPF in summer as compared with spring. Because risk assessment (RA) requires relatively limited tests that only marginally address bee behaviour and do not consider the influence of bee age and season, our results raise concerns about the safety of approved pesticides, including FPF. We suggest that pesticide RA also test for common chemical mixture synergies on behaviour and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Tosi
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Epidemiology Unit, European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Honeybee Health, University Paris Est, ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety) Animal Health Laboratory, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - J. C. Nieh
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
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