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Pal E, Almasri H, Paris L, Diogon M, Pioz M, Cousin M, Sené D, Tchamitchian S, Tavares DA, Delbac F, Blot N, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Toxicity of the Pesticides Imidacloprid, Difenoconazole and Glyphosate Alone and in Binary and Ternary Mixtures to Winter Honey Bees: Effects on Survival and Antioxidative Defenses. Toxics 2022; 10:toxics10030104. [PMID: 35324729 PMCID: PMC8954695 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10030104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
To explain losses of bees that could occur after the winter season, we studied the effects of the insecticide imidacloprid, the herbicide glyphosate and the fungicide difenoconazole, alone and in binary and ternary mixtures, on winter honey bees orally exposed to food containing these pesticides at concentrations of 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10 µg/L. Attention was focused on bee survival, food consumption and oxidative stress. The effects on oxidative stress were assessed by determining the activity of enzymes involved in antioxidant defenses (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) in the head, abdomen and midgut; oxidative damage reflected by both lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation was also evaluated. In general, no significant effect on food consumption was observed. Pesticide mixtures were more toxic than individual substances, and the highest mortalities were induced at intermediate doses of 0.1 and 1 µg/L. The toxicity was not always linked to the exposure level and the number of substances in the mixtures. Mixtures did not systematically induce synergistic effects, as antagonism, subadditivity and additivity were also observed. The tested pesticides, alone and in mixtures, triggered important, systemic oxidative stress that could largely explain pesticide toxicity to honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Pal
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Hanine Almasri
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Laurianne Paris
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Marie Diogon
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Maryline Pioz
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Déborah Sené
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Daiana Antonia Tavares
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Frédéric Delbac
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Nicolas Blot
- CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes, Génome et Environnement, Université Clermont Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France; (L.P.); (M.D.); (F.D.); (N.B.)
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
| | - Luc P. Belzunces
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France; (E.P.); (H.A.); (M.P.); (M.C.); (D.S.); (S.T.); (D.A.T.); (J.-L.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-(0)43272-2604
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Almasri H, Tavares DA, Tchamitchian S, Pélissier M, Sené D, Cousin M, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Toxicological status changes the susceptibility of the honey bee Apis mellifera to a single fungicidal spray application. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021; 28:42807-42820. [PMID: 33822299 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13747-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
During all their life stages, bees are exposed to residual concentrations of pesticides, such as insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, stored in beehive matrices. Fungicides are authorized for use during crop blooms because of their low acute toxicity to honey bees. Thus, a bee that might have been previously exposed to pesticides through contaminated food may be subjected to fungicide spraying when it initiates its first flight outside the hive. In this study, we assessed the effects of acute exposure to the fungicide in bees with different toxicological statuses. Three days after emergence, bees were subjected to chronic exposure to the insecticide imidacloprid and the herbicide glyphosate, either individually or in a binary mixture, at environmental concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 μg/L in food (0.0083 and 0.083 μg/kg) for 30 days. Seven days after the beginning of chronic exposure to the pesticides (10 days after emergence), the bees were subjected to spraying with the fungicide difenoconazole at the registered field dosage. The results showed a delayed significant decrease in survival when honey bees were treated with the fungicide. Fungicide toxicity increased when honey bees were chronically exposed to glyphosate at the lowest concentration, decreased when they were exposed to imidacloprid, and did not significantly change when they were exposed to the binary mixture regardless of the concentration. Bees exposed to all of these pesticide combinations showed physiological disruptions, revealed by the modulation of several life history traits related mainly to metabolism, even when no effect of the other pesticides on fungicide toxicity was observed. These results show that the toxicity of active substances may be misestimated in the pesticide registration procedure, especially for fungicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanine Almasri
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Daiana Antonia Tavares
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Michel Pélissier
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Déborah Sené
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000, Avignon, France.
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France.
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Almasri H, Tavares DA, Diogon M, Pioz M, Alamil M, Sené D, Tchamitchian S, Cousin M, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Physiological effects of the interaction between Nosema ceranae and sequential and overlapping exposure to glyphosate and difenoconazole in the honey bee Apis mellifera. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2021; 217:112258. [PMID: 33915451 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pathogens and pollutants, such as pesticides, are potential stressors to all living organisms, including honey bees. Herbicides and fungicides are among the most prevalent pesticides in beehive matrices, and their interaction with Nosema ceranae is not well understood. In this study, the interactions between N. ceranae, the herbicide glyphosate and the fungicide difenoconazole were studied under combined sequential and overlapping exposure to the pesticides at a concentration of 0.1 µg/L in food. In the sequential exposure experiment, newly emerged bees were exposed to the herbicide from day 3 to day 13 after emerging and to the fungicide from day 13 to day 23. In the overlapping exposure experiment, bees were exposed to the herbicide from day 3 to day 13 and to the fungicide from day 7 to day 17. Infection by Nosema in early adult life stages (a few hours post emergence) greatly affected the survival of honey bees and elicited much higher mortality than was induced by pesticides either alone or in combination. Overlapping exposure to both pesticides induced higher mortality than was caused by sequential or individual exposure. Overlapping, but not sequential, exposure to pesticides synergistically increased the adverse effect of N. ceranae on honey bee longevity. The combination of Nosema and pesticides had a strong impact on physiological markers of the nervous system, detoxification, antioxidant defenses and social immunity of honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanine Almasri
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France
| | | | - Marie Diogon
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Maryline Pioz
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France
| | - Maryam Alamil
- INRAE, UR Biostatistiques et Processus Spatiaux, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Déborah Sené
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, F-84000 Avignon, France.
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Almasri H, Tavares DA, Pioz M, Sené D, Tchamitchian S, Cousin M, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Mixtures of an insecticide, a fungicide and a herbicide induce high toxicities and systemic physiological disturbances in winter Apis mellifera honey bees. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2020; 203:111013. [PMID: 32888588 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Multiple pesticides originating from plant protection treatments and the treatment of pests infecting honey bees are frequently detected in beehive matrices. Therefore, winter honey bees, which have a long life span, could be exposed to these pesticides for longer periods than summer honey bees. In this study, winter honey bees were exposed through food to the insecticide imidacloprid, the fungicide difenoconazole and the herbicide glyphosate, alone or in binary and ternary mixtures, at environmental concentrations (0 (controls), 0.1, 1 and 10 μg/L) for 20 days. The survival of the honey bees was significantly reduced after exposure to these 3 pesticides individually and in combination. Overall, the combinations had a higher impact than the pesticides alone with a maximum mortality of 52.9% after 20 days of exposure to the insecticide-fungicide binary mixture at 1 μg/L. The analyses of the surviving bees showed that these different pesticide combinations had a systemic global impact on the physiological state of the honey bees, as revealed by the modulation of head, midgut and abdomen glutathione-S-transferase, head acetylcholinesterase, abdomen glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and midgut alkaline phosphatase, which are involved in the detoxification of xenobiotics, the nervous system, defenses against oxidative stress, metabolism and immunity, respectively. These results demonstrate the importance of studying the effects of chemical cocktails based on low realistic exposure levels and developing long-term tests to reveal possible lethal and adverse sublethal interactions in honey bees and other insect pollinators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanine Almasri
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France
| | | | - Maryline Pioz
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France
| | - Déborah Sené
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRAE, UR 406 A&E, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, 84914, Avignon, France.
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Gagnaire B, Bonnet M, Tchamitchian S, Cavalié I, Della-Vedova C, Dubourg N, Adam-Guillermin C, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Physiological effects of gamma irradiation in the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2019; 174:153-163. [PMID: 30825738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Terrestrial ecosystems are exposed to various kinds of pollutants, including radionuclides. The honeybee, Apis mellifera, is commonly used in ecotoxicology as a model species for evaluating the effects of pollutants. In the present study, honeybees were irradiated right after birth for 14 days with gamma rays at dose rates ranging between 4.38 × 10-3 and 588 mGy/d. Biological tissues (head, intestine and abdomen) were sampled at D3, D10 and D14. Ten different physiological markers involved in nervous (acetylcholinesterase (AChE)), antioxidative (catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)), immune system (phenoloxidase (PO)) and metabolism (carboxylesterases (CaEs) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) were measured. Univariate analyses were conducted to determine whether each individual biomarker response was positively or negatively correlated with the dose rate. Then, multivariate analyses were applied to investigate the relationships between all the biomarker responses. Although no mortality occurred during the experiment, several biomarkers varied significantly in relation to the dose rate. Globally, the biomarkers of antioxidant and immune systems decreased as the dose rate increased. Reversible effects on the indicator of the neural system were found. Concerning indicators of metabolism (carboxylesterases), variations occurred but no clear pattern was found. Taken altogether, these results help better understand the effects of ionizing radiation on bees by identifying relevant physiological markers of effects. These results could improve the assessment of the environmental risk due to ionizing radiation in terrestrial ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Gagnaire
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance 13115, France.
| | - M Bonnet
- INRA, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - S Tchamitchian
- INRA, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - I Cavalié
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance 13115, France
| | - C Della-Vedova
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LRTA, Cadarache, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance 13115, France
| | - N Dubourg
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance 13115, France
| | - C Adam-Guillermin
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sureté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SRTE/LECO, Cadarache, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance 13115, France
| | - J-L Brunet
- INRA, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - L P Belzunces
- INRA, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France.
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Kairo G, Pioz M, Tchamitchian S, Pelissier M, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Efficiency of an air curtain as an anti-insect barrier: the honey bee as a model insect. Pest Manag Sci 2018; 74:2707-2715. [PMID: 29808535 DOI: 10.1002/ps.5090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vector-borne diseases are of high concern for human, animal and plant health. In humans, such diseases are often transmitted by flying insects. Flying insects stop their flight when their kinetic energy cannot compensate for the wind speed. Here, the efficiency of an air curtain in preventing insects from entering a building was studied using the honey bee as a model. RESULTS Bees were trained to visit a food source placed in a building. The air curtain was tested with strongly motivated bees, when the visiting activity was very high. Airflow velocity was modulated by setting an air curtain device at different voltages. At the nominal voltage, the anti-insect efficiency was 99.9 ± 0.2% compared with both the number of bees at a given time in the absence of the air curtain and the number of bees before the activation of the air curtain. The efficiency decreased as the airflow velocity decreased. CONCLUSION The results show that an air curtain operating at an airflow velocity of 7.5 m s-1 may prevent a strong flyer with high kinetic energy, such as the honey bee, from entering a building. Thus, air curtains offer an alternative approach for combating vector-borne diseases. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Kairo
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Maryline Pioz
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Michel Pelissier
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Avignon, France
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Kairo G, Poquet Y, Haji H, Tchamitchian S, Cousin M, Bonnet M, Pelissier M, Kretzschmar A, Belzunces LP, Brunet JL. Assessment of the toxic effect of pesticides on honey bee drone fertility using laboratory and semifield approaches: A case study of fipronil. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017; 36:2345-2351. [PMID: 28224659 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 10/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Concern about the reproductive toxicity of plant protection products in honey bee reproducers is increasing. Because the reproductive capacity of honey bees is not currently considered during the risk assessment procedure performed during plant protection product registration, it is important to provide methods to assess such potential impairments. To achieve this aim, we used 2 different approaches that involved semifield and laboratory conditions to study the impact of fipronil on drone fertility. For each approach, the drones were reared for 20 d, from emergence to sexual maturity, and exposed to fipronil via a contaminated sugar solution. In both groups, the effects of fipronil were determined by studying life traits and fertility indicators. The results showed that the survival and maturity rates of the drones were better under laboratory conditions than under semifield conditions. Moreover, the drones reared under laboratory conditions produced more seminal fluid. Although these differences could be explained by environmental factors that may vary under semifield conditions, it was found that regardless of the approach used, fipronil did not affect survival rates, maturity rates, or semen volumes, whereas it did affect fertility by inducing a decrease in spermatozoa quantity that was associated with an increase in spermatozoa mortality. These results confirm that fipronil affects drone fertility and support the relevance of each approach for assessing the potential reproductive toxicity of plant protection products in honey bees. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2345-2351. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Kairo
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Yannick Poquet
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Haïthem Haji
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Marc Bonnet
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Michel Pelissier
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - André Kretzschmar
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Biostatistiques & Processus Spatiaux, Avignon, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, Avignon, France
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Kairo G, Biron DG, Ben Abdelkader F, Bonnet M, Tchamitchian S, Cousin M, Dussaubat C, Benoit B, Kretzschmar A, Belzunces LP, Brunet JL. Nosema ceranae, Fipronil and their combination compromise honey bee reproduction via changes in male physiology. Sci Rep 2017; 7:8556. [PMID: 28819220 PMCID: PMC5561069 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-08380-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The honey bee is threatened by biological agents and pesticides that can act in combination to induce synergistic effects on its physiology and lifespan. The synergistic effects of a parasite/pesticide combination have been demonstrated on workers and queens, but no studies have been performed on drones despite their essential contribution to colony sustainability by providing semen diversity and quality. The effects of the Nosema ceranae/fipronil combination on the life traits and physiology of mature drones were examined following exposure under semi-field conditions. The results showed that the microsporidia alone induced moderate and localized effects in the midgut, whereas fipronil alone induced moderate and generalized effects. The parasite/insecticide combination drastically affected both physiology and survival, exhibiting an important and significant generalized action that could jeopardize mating success. In terms of fertility, semen was strongly impacted regardless of stressor, suggesting that drone reproductive functions are very sensitive to stress factors. These findings suggest that drone health and fertility impairment might contribute to poorly mated queens, leading to the storage of poor quality semen and poor spermathecae diversity. Thus, the queens failures observed in recent years might result from the continuous exposure of drones to multiple environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Kairo
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - David G Biron
- CNRS, UMR CNRS 6023 Laboratoire Microorganismes: Génome et Environnement, 63177, Aubière Cedex, France
| | - Faten Ben Abdelkader
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France.,INAT, Laboratoire de Zoologie et d'Apiculture, 1082, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Marc Bonnet
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Claudia Dussaubat
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Boris Benoit
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - André Kretzschmar
- INRA, UR 546 Biostatistiques & Processus Spatiaux, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles & Environnement, Toxicologie Environnementale, CS 40509, 84914, Avignon Cedex 9, France.
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9
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Dussaubat C, Maisonnasse A, Crauser D, Tchamitchian S, Bonnet M, Cousin M, Kretzschmar A, Brunet JL, Le Conte Y. Combined neonicotinoid pesticide and parasite stress alter honeybee queens' physiology and survival. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31430. [PMID: 27578396 PMCID: PMC5005999 DOI: 10.1038/srep31430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Honeybee colony survival strongly relies on the queen to overcome worker losses exposed to combined stressors like pesticides and parasites. Queen's capacity to withstand these stressors is however very little known. The effects of the common neonicotinoid pesticide imidacloprid in a chronic and sublethal exposure together with the wide distributed parasite Nosema ceranae have therefore been investigated on queen's physiology and survivorship in laboratory and field conditions. Early physiological changes were observed on queens, particularly the increase of enzyme activities (catalase [CAT] and glutathione-S-transferase [GST] in the heads) related to protective responses to xenobiotics and oxidative stress against pesticide and parasite alone or combined. Stressors also alter the activity of two other enzymes (carboxylesterase alpha [CaE α] and carboxylesterase para [CaE p] in the midguts) involved in metabolic and detoxification functions. Furthermore, single and combined effects of pesticide and parasite decrease survivorship of queens introduced into mating hives for three months. Because colony demographic regulation relies on queen's fertility, the compromise of its physiology and life can seriously menace colony survival under pressure of combined stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Dussaubat
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- INRA, UR 546 Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - Alban Maisonnasse
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
- ADAPI (Association pour le développement de l’Apiculture), 22, Avenue Henri Pontier, 13326, Aix en Provence Cedex 1, France
| | - Didier Crauser
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - Marc Bonnet
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - André Kretzschmar
- INRA, UR 546 Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
| | - Yves Le Conte
- INRA, UR 406 Abeilles et environnement, 84914, Avignon, France
- UMT PrADE, Site Agroparc, CS 40509, Avignon, France
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10
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Jabot C, Daniele G, Giroud B, Tchamitchian S, Belzunces LP, Casabianca H, Vulliet E. Detection and quantification of boscalid and its metabolites in honeybees. Chemosphere 2016; 156:245-251. [PMID: 27179242 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.04.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Revised: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Boscalid is a new-generation fungicide that has been detected in several bee matrices. The objective of this work was to characterize boscalid metabolites in honeybees based on in vivo experimentation, and next to verify the presence of theses metabolites into honeybees from colonies presenting troubles. A methodology based on complementary mass spectrometric tools, namely ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QToF) or triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ) was implemented. Honeybees were sprayed with boscalid, at field rate (to induce the metabolization process) and the parent compound with its generated metabolites were then extracted using modified EU-QuEChERS method. The mass characteristics including exact mass, isotopic profile and mass fragments allowed assuming the structure of several metabolites. Some of them were unambiguously identified by comparison with synthesized analytical standards. The metabolites were resulted from hydroxylation and dechlorination of the parent compound as well as the substitution of a chlorine atom with an hydroxyl group. The metabolites were then quantified in bee samples collected from various beehives located in France. Boscalid and three of its metabolites were present in some samples at a level ranged between 0.2 and 36.3 ng/g.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Jabot
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5280 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Gaëlle Daniele
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5280 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Barbara Giroud
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5280 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Hervé Casabianca
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5280 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Emmanuelle Vulliet
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR 5280 CNRS, Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France.
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11
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Renzi MT, Amichot M, Pauron D, Tchamitchian S, Brunet JL, Kretzschmar A, Maini S, Belzunces LP. Chronic toxicity and physiological changes induced in the honey bee by the exposure to fipronil and Bacillus thuringiensis spores alone or combined. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2016; 127:205-13. [PMID: 26866756 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2016.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 12/24/2015] [Accepted: 01/28/2016] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
In the agricultural environment, honey bees may be exposed to combinations of pesticides. Until now, the effects of these combinations on honey bee health have been poorly investigated. In this study, we assessed the impacts of biological and chemical insecticides, combining low dietary concentrations of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spores (100 and 1000µg/L) with the chemical insecticide fipronil (1µg/L). In order to assess the possible effects of Cry toxins, the Bt kurstaki strain (Btk) was compared with a Bt strain devoid of toxin-encoding plasmids (Bt Cry(-)). The oral exposure to fipronil and Bt spores from both strains for 10 days did not elicit significant effects on the feeding behavior and survival after 25 days. Local and systemic physiological effects were investigated by measuring the activities of enzymes involved in the intermediary and detoxication metabolisms at two sampling dates (day 10 and day 20). Attention was focused on head and midgut glutathione-S-transferase (GST), midgut alkaline phosphatase (ALP), abdomen glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPD) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD). We found that Bt Cry(-) and Btk spores induced physiological modifications by differentially modulating enzyme activities. Fipronil influenced the enzyme activities differently at days 10 and 20 and, when combined with Bt spores, elicited modulations of some spore-induced physiological responses. These results show that an apparent absence of toxicity may hide physiological disruptions that could be potentially damaging for the bees, especially in the case of combined exposures to other environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Teresa Renzi
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France; Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Università di Bologna, Viale G. Fanin, 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marcel Amichot
- INRA, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06900 Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - David Pauron
- INRA, Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, CNRS, UMR 1355-7254 Institut Sophia Agrobiotech, 06900 Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - André Kretzschmar
- INRA, UR Biostatistiques et Processus Spatiaux, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Stefano Maini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Università di Bologna, Viale G. Fanin, 42, 40127 Bologna, Italy
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France.
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12
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Poquet Y, Kairo G, Tchamitchian S, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. Wings as a new route of exposure to pesticides in the honey bee. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015; 34:1983-8. [PMID: 25867802 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In pesticide risk assessment, estimating the routes and levels of exposure is critical. For honey bees subjected to pesticide spray, toxicity is assessed by thorax contact to account for all possible contact exposures. In the present study, the authors tested 6 active substances with different hydrophobicity. For the first time, the authors demonstrated that it is possible to induce mortality by pesticide contact with only the wings of the honey bee. The toxicities induced by contact with the wings and thorax were similar, with the wing median lethal dose (LD50) being 0.99 to 2.23 times higher than that of the thorax. This finding demonstrates that the wings represent a relevant route of exposure in the honey bee. In a second approach, the authors estimated the air volume displaced by the wings during 1 beating cycle to be 0.51 ± 0.03 cm(3), which corresponds to a volume of 116.8 ± 5.8 cm(3) s(-1) at a wing beat frequency of 230 Hz. The authors then tested realistic scenarios of exposure for bees flying through a pesticide cloud at different concentrations. In the worst-case scenario, the dose accumulated during the flight reached 525 ng bee(-1) s(-1). These results show that the procedure used to assess the risk posed by contact with pesticides could be improved by accounting for wing exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Poquet
- INRA, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Environmental Toxicology, Bees and Environment, Avignon Cedex, France
| | - Guillaume Kairo
- INRA, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Environmental Toxicology, Bees and Environment, Avignon Cedex, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Environmental Toxicology, Bees and Environment, Avignon Cedex, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Environmental Toxicology, Bees and Environment, Avignon Cedex, France
| | - Luc P Belzunces
- INRA, French National Institute for Agricultural Research, Environmental Toxicology, Bees and Environment, Avignon Cedex, France
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13
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Poquet Y, Bodin L, Tchamitchian M, Fusellier M, Giroud B, Lafay F, Buleté A, Tchamitchian S, Cousin M, Pélissier M, Brunet JL, Belzunces LP. A pragmatic approach to assess the exposure of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) when subjected to pesticide spray. PLoS One 2014; 9:e113728. [PMID: 25412103 PMCID: PMC4239102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 10/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant protection spray treatments may expose non-target organisms to pesticides. In the pesticide registration procedure, the honey bee represents one of the non-target model species for which the risk posed by pesticides must be assessed on the basis of the hazard quotient (HQ). The HQ is defined as the ratio between environmental exposure and toxicity. For the honey bee, the HQ calculation is not consistent because it corresponds to the ratio between the pesticide field rate (in mass of pesticide/ha) and LD50 (in mass of pesticide/bee). Thus, in contrast to all other species, the HQ can only be interpreted empirically because it corresponds to a number of bees/ha. This type of HQ calculation is due to the difficulty in transforming pesticide field rates into doses to which bees are exposed. In this study, we used a pragmatic approach to determine the apparent exposure surface area of honey bees submitted to pesticide treatments by spraying with a Potter-type tower. The doses received by the bees were quantified by very efficient chemical analyses, which enabled us to determine an apparent surface area of 1.05 cm(2)/bee. The apparent surface area was used to calculate the exposure levels of bees submitted to pesticide sprays and then to revisit the HQ ratios with a calculation mode similar to that used for all other living species. X-tomography was used to assess the physical surface area of a bee, which was 3.27 cm(2)/bee, and showed that the apparent exposure surface was not overestimated. The control experiments showed that the toxicity induced by doses calculated with the exposure surface area was similar to that induced by treatments according to the European testing procedure. This new approach to measure risk is more accurate and could become a tool to aid the decision-making process in the risk assessment of pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Poquet
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Laurent Bodin
- ANSES, French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety, 27–31 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 94701 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | | | - Marion Fusellier
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, CRIP, National Veterinary School (Oniris), Nantes, France
| | - Barbara Giroud
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280 CNRS Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Florent Lafay
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280 CNRS Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Audrey Buleté
- Université de Lyon, Institut des Sciences Analytiques, UMR5280 CNRS Université Lyon 1, ENS-Lyon, 5 rue de la Doua, 69100 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Marianne Cousin
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Michel Pélissier
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Jean-Luc Brunet
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
| | - Luc P. Belzunces
- INRA, Laboratoire de Toxicologie Environnementale, UR 406 A&E, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon Cedex 9, France
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14
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Henry M, Béguin M, Requier F, Rollin O, Odoux JF, Aupinel P, Aptel J, Tchamitchian S, Decourtye A. Response to Comment on “A Common Pesticide Decreases Foraging Success and Survival in Honey Bees”. Science 2012. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1224930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Henry
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Maxime Béguin
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
- Association pour le Développement de l’Apiculture Provençale, F-13626 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Fabrice Requier
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS (USC-INRA 1339), UPR1934, F-79360 Beauvoir-sur-Niort, France
- INRA, UE1255, UE Entomologie, F-17700 Surgères, France
| | - Orianne Rollin
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
- Association de Coordination Technique Agricole, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | | | | | - Jean Aptel
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Axel Decourtye
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
- Association de Coordination Technique Agricole, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
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15
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Henry M, Béguin M, Requier F, Rollin O, Odoux JF, Aupinel P, Aptel J, Tchamitchian S, Decourtye A. A Common Pesticide Decreases Foraging Success and Survival in Honey Bees. Science 2012. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1215039\] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Bad News for Bees
Neonicotinoid insecticides were introduced in the early 1990s and have become one of the most widely used crop pesticides in the world. These compounds act on the insect central nervous system, and they have been shown to be persistent in the environment and in plant tissues. Recently, there have been controversial connections made between neonicotinoids and pollinator deaths, but the mechanisms underlying these potential deaths have remained unknown.
Whitehorn
et al.
(p.
351
, published online 29 March) exposed developing colonies of bumble bees to low levels of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid and then released them to forage under natural conditions. Treated colonies displayed reduced colony growth and less reproductive success, and they produced significantly fewer queens to found subsequent generations.
Henry
et al.
(p.
348
, published online 29 March) documented the effects of low-dose, nonlethal intoxication of another widely used neonicotinoid, thiamethoxam, on wild foraging honey bees. Radio-frequency identification tags were used to determine navigation success of treated foragers, which suggested that their homing success was much reduced relative to untreated foragers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Henry
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Maxime Béguin
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
- Association pour le Développement de l’Apiculture Provençale, F-13626 Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Fabrice Requier
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS (USC-INRA 1339), UPR1934, F-79360 Beauvoir-sur-Niort, France
- INRA, UE1255, UE Entomologie, F-17700 Surgères, France
| | - Orianne Rollin
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
- Association de Coordination Technique Agricole, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | | | | | - Jean Aptel
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Sylvie Tchamitchian
- INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique), UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
| | - Axel Decourtye
- UMT Protection des Abeilles dans l’Environnement, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
- Association de Coordination Technique Agricole, Site Agroparc, F-84914 Avignon, France
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16
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Henry M, Béguin M, Requier F, Rollin O, Odoux JF, Aupinel P, Aptel J, Tchamitchian S, Decourtye A. A common pesticide decreases foraging success and survival in honey bees. Science 2012; 336:348-50. [PMID: 22461498 DOI: 10.1126/science.1215039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 728] [Impact Index Per Article: 60.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Nonlethal exposure of honey bees to thiamethoxam (neonicotinoid systemic pesticide) causes high mortality due to homing failure at levels that could put a colony at risk of collapse. Simulated exposure events on free-ranging foragers labeled with a radio-frequency identification tag suggest that homing is impaired by thiamethoxam intoxication. These experiments offer new insights into the consequences of common neonicotinoid pesticides used worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Henry
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, F-84914 Avignon, France.
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